Lake Oahe
A giant Missouri River reservoir behind Oahe Dam near Pierre. It's one of the best walleye lakes in the country, and it also has chinook salmon and smallmouth bass.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Walleye
Points, flats and reefs at low light. Jigs and live bait early, crankbaits and crawler harnesses in summer.
Smallmouth Bass
Rock, gravel and points. Tubes, jerkbaits and drop-shots.
Northern Pike
Weed edges and bays. Spoons, spinnerbaits and tip-ups through the ice.
Chinook Salmon
Stocked. Deep water near the dam.
When they bite
Month-by-month activity for each target species.
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | ||||||||||||
| Smallmouth Bass | ||||||||||||
| Northern Pike | ||||||||||||
| Chinook Salmon |
Boat launches
1 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- More public accessPublicSee the SD GFP or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗
Size & creel limits
Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.
| Species | Min size | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye Missouri River lake rule, year-round | See South Dakota rules book ↗ | 4 / day (only 1 may be 20 in or longer) |
Other species in this lake: look up the limits at South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.
- Scheels ↗9.8 miBismarck(701) 255-7255Directions ↗
Local tips
- Huge water. Wind can be dangerous.
- The North Dakota part follows ND rules.
- Walleye move shallow with wind in spring.
Angler reports
Water temp, what's biting, and anything else other anglers should know about Lake Oahe.
View on interactive map
Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.