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Fishing Lake Sharpe: what the data says
56,884-acre reservoir near Pierre. 67 river-miles from Big Bend to Pierre. A current-driven walleye haven loaded with smallmouth and white bass. The lake tops out around 78 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Traced from the shoreline, Lake Sharpe runs 59,386 acres with 245.6 miles of edge — 10 islands included. With a shoreline index of 7.2, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Roughly 73% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives.
Walleye fishing at Lake Sharpe
Spring walleye on Lake Sharpe hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Creek inflow — inflow / creek mouth, 8 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Creek inflow (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (16 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (23 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (23 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Sauger fishing at Lake Sharpe
Come spring, look for sauger tight to the bank in 4 to 18 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 45 ft. Start at Creek inflow. It's a inflow / creek mouth holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (8 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (16 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (23 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Sharp break (23 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
Smallmouth Bass fishing at Lake Sharpe
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 20 to 45 ft for winter. Spring smallmouth bass concentrate at Rock reef, a prime-rated rock pile around 6 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (6 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (16 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (20 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Sharp break (23 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
White Bass fishing at Lake Sharpe
Come spring, look for white bass tight to the bank in 2 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 40 ft. Start at Creek inflow. It's a inflow / creek mouth holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (8 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (16 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 6 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (20 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Offshore hump (16 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
Northern Pike fishing at Lake Sharpe
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. Spring northern pike concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 6 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow flat (9 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Crappie fishing at Lake Sharpe
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 25 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. Spring crappie concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 6 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (16 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow flat (9 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Offshore hump (16 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Lake Sharpe also holds yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer), channel catfish (8 to 25 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 66 ft
- Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 33 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 23 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 20 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 20 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 17 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 16 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 13 ft
- Shoreline point: point, around 11 ft
- Shallow flat: weed flat, around 9 ft
- Shallow flat: weed flat, around 9 ft
- Shoreline point: point, around 8 ft
- Creek inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 8 ft
- Shallow flat: weed flat, around 8 ft
Lake Sharpe fishing regulations
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 Lake Sharpe specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official South Dakota fishing regulations →
Common questions
How deep is Lake Sharpe?
Lake Sharpe is about 78 ft (24 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.
What fish are in Lake Sharpe?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, walleye, white bass, sauger, northern pike, crappie, channel catfish, yellow perch on Lake Sharpe.
Where is the best fishing spot on Lake Sharpe?
Creek inflow is the top-rated area: a inflow / creek mouth in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
When is the best time to fish Lake Sharpe?
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
What are the fishing regulations for Lake Sharpe?
Fishing on Lake Sharpe 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.
Nearby waters
Chapelle Lake 20 mi · Byre Lake 22 mi · Missouri River (Oahe Tailrace) 25 mi · Sully Lake 35 mi · Louise Lake 47 mi · Red Lake 50 mi · Jones Lake 51 mi · Hayes Lake 54 mi · Hurley Lake 60 mi · Lake Francis Case 66 mi · Faulkton Lake 66 mi · Wilmarth Lake 72 mi
See how Lake Sharpe stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in South Dakota · best walleye lakes in South Dakota · best white bass lakes in South Dakota · best sauger lakes in South Dakota
Browse all South Dakota fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.