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97-acre lake near Potter County. The lake tops out around 29 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Traced from the shoreline, Hurley Lake runs 97 acres with 3.8 miles of edge. A development index of 2.7 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. 74% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 0.9 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.4 mi at the beam. The water lies in Potter County. For a second option, Sully Lake lies 26 mi south.
Spring yellow perch on Hurley Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 9 to 29 ft, and by winter most fish are in 9 to 29 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 9 to 29 ft | dawn | Deep basin (25 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 29 ft | midday | Deep basin (25 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 29 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (25 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 25 ft, wintering in 9 to 29 ft. Winter crappie concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 25 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 9 to 29 ft | midday | Deep basin (25 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluegill in 1 to 6 ft. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 15 ft, wintering in 10 to 25 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (13 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (25 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Spring northern pike concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 9 to 29 ft game here, winter a 9 to 29 ft one. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 13 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 9 to 29 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 9 to 29 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (13 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 9 to 29 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (25 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Hurley Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 25 ft down.
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 Hurley Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official South Dakota fishing regulations →
Hurley Lake is about 29 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target yellow perch, crappie, bluegill, northern pike, walleye on Hurley 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.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
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 Hurley 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.
Sully Lake 26 mi · Trail City Lake 40 mi · Lake Oahe 40 mi, SD/ND · Faulkton Lake 48 mi · Missouri River (Oahe Tailrace) 48 mi · Eagle Butte Lake 52 mi · Eureka Lake 53 mi · Chapelle Lake 55 mi · Cresbard Lake 56 mi · Pocasse Lake 56 mi · Louise Lake 59 mi · Lake Sharpe 60 mi
See how Hurley Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in South Dakota · best northern pike lakes in South Dakota · best crappie lakes in South Dakota · best bluegill lakes in South Dakota
Browse all South Dakota fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. 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.