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Gavins Point Dam past Yankton to Vermillion: the unchannelized National Recreational River. Sauger, walleye and big cats. The river tops out around 30 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Drawn out, this is 5,515 acres of water rimmed by 71 miles of bank. With a shoreline index of 6.8, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 48% of this chart, as modeled. Call it 29.6 mi long by 4.6 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Cedar County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Missouri River, 7 mi southeast of here.
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 9 to 30 ft game here, winter a 9 to 30 ft one. Start at James River confluence. It's an inflow / creek mouth holding about 12 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | James River confluence (12 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Gavins Point tailrace (25 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & night | Gavins Point tailrace (25 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Gavins Point tailrace (25 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season sauger use the shallows, holding in 4 to 18 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 9 to 30 ft one. The chart's best answer is James River confluence — inflow / creek mouth, 12 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | James River confluence (12 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Gavins Point tailrace (25 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Gavins Point tailrace (25 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | dusk | Gavins Point tailrace (25 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 9 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Unchannelized sandbars, a gravel shoal in the 6 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Unchannelized sandbars (6 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 3.7) (15 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Channel current seam (mile 3.7) (15 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Channel current seam (mile 3.7) (15 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 30 ft. The spot to know is James River confluence, an inflow / creek mouth in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | James River confluence (12 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Gavins Point tailrace (25 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Gavins Point tailrace (25 ft) | |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Gavins Point tailrace (25 ft) |
In spring, flathead catfish run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 30 ft. Slackwater eddy (mile 5.6) is the standout, an eddy pocket at roughly 17 ft, rated prime for spring flathead catfish. Time it for after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 5.6) (17 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 5.6) (17 ft) | |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 5.6) (17 ft) | |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Slackwater eddy (mile 5.6) (17 ft) |
Spring blue catfish on Missouri River (Gavins Point) hold shallow, usually 5 to 25 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 9 to 30 ft. Put Gavins Point tailrace first on the milk run — a creek channel near 25 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Gavins Point tailrace (25 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Gavins Point tailrace (25 ft) | |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dusk | Gavins Point tailrace (25 ft) | |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Gavins Point tailrace (25 ft) |
Missouri River (Gavins Point) also holds white bass (8 to 25 ft in summer), freshwater drum (8 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Missouri River (Gavins Point) carries 18 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Gavins Point tailrace, 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 Missouri River (Gavins Point) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official South Dakota fishing regulations →
Missouri River (Gavins Point) is about 30 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 walleye, sauger, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, white bass, freshwater drum on Missouri River (Gavins Point).
James River confluence is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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.
Fishing on Missouri River (Gavins Point) 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.
Missouri River 7 mi, NE · Chalkrock Lake 9 mi, NE · Marindahl Lake 18 mi, SD · Buckskin Hills Lake 18 mi, NE · Beaver Lake 20 mi, SD · Powder Creek Reservoir 24 mi, NE · Lewis and Clark Lake 25 mi · Swan Lake 30 mi, SD · Henry Lake 35 mi, SD · McCook Lake 39 mi, SD · Kramper Lake (Pigeon Jones) 43 mi, NE · Willow Creek Lake 47 mi, NE
See how Missouri River (Gavins Point) 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. 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.