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Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
614-acre lake near Day County. The lake tops out around 24 ft. The depth chart comes from South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Horseshoe Lake maps at 596 acres behind 9.1 miles of shoreline, with a single island in the mix. With a shoreline index of 2.7, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Roughly 46% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 2.1 mi end to end and 1.1 mi across at its widest. It sits in Day County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Swan Lake, is 5 mi to the southeast.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 7 to 24 ft before dropping to 7 to 24 ft for winter. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | open water | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | open water | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, crappie slide up into 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 7 to 24 ft game here, winter a 7 to 24 ft one. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | open water | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | open water | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | open water | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for bluegill tight to the bank in 1 to 6 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 7 to 24 ft. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | open water | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | open water | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | open water | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
When the water first warms, northern pike slide up into 2 to 8 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | open water | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | open water | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 7 to 24 ft before dropping to 7 to 24 ft for winter. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | open water | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for largemouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 7 to 24 ft. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | open water | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Horseshoe Lake also holds brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 5 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 23 ft.
Access data: South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks — Boat Ramps. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for South Dakota waters are set by the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks — and special regulations can apply to Horseshoe Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official South Dakota fishing regulations →
Horseshoe Lake is about 24 ft (7 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target yellow perch, crappie, bluegill, northern pike, walleye, largemouth bass, brown bullhead on Horseshoe Lake. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
For yellow perch, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Horseshoe Lake is regulated by the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks. Check the official South Dakota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Swan Lake 5 mi · Heggs Lake 8 mi · Reid Lake 13 mi · Grass Lake 15 mi · Bitter Lake 15 mi · Dry Lake 18 mi · Lynn Lake 18 mi · Waubay Lake 19 mi · Blue Dog Lake 20 mi · Pierpont Lake 21 mi · Long Lake 22 mi · Enemy Swim Lake 25 mi
See how Horseshoe Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in South Dakota · best walleye lakes in South Dakota · best northern pike lakes in South Dakota · best crappie lakes in South Dakota
More water nearby: Day County fishing maps (7 charts). Browse all South Dakota fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.