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    Walleye, Small-mouth Bass, Northern Pike, Salmon
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Karl's Fishing Report

3/2/2017 12:00:00 AM
Trophy Northern Pike fishing on Lake Oahe is soon upon us.... I was up on Oahe yesterday checking the ice conditions and I feel we are still a couple weeks away from total ice out.  That prognosis can change in a hurry with an unpredictable South Dakota warm spring and a day or two of 25 to 40 mph winds.  I have seen the ice leave literally in a day or two with some 4+ foot waves pounding on ice sheet but right now it looks like total ice out will be mid March or so.  I am hoping the very backs of the bays will open up soon for some early Pike action.  That will be happening soon as the Corps has raised Lake Oahe about a foot in the past week or so and that will break open the shoreline and get the ball rolling.  Come on warm weather!!!

Ice out pike is one of my favorite times.  Truly a legitimate shot at Pike from 15 to 30 pounds.  I had several Pike over 20# and a bunch from 15 to 19 pounds last spring.  There is more giant Pike in Lake Oahe than I have ever seen and I have lived here for 29 years.  Its to the point that the SD Game Fish and Parks doubled the daily limit of Pike to 6 a couple years ago.  If that doesn't tell you how the Pike fishery has exploded on Lake Oahe nothing will....

Find any back bay on Oahe, set up with Smelt on a quick strike rig, toss it out and hold on... Big fish are a coming...  I like to cast lures and spoons as I am waiting for a bite on my deadbait rigs.. both are deadly Pike patterns.  A newer pattern of longline trolling big crankbaits behind your boat in shallow water is developing a following on Oahe too.  This can be a very productive pattern as the water warms up into early summer.  I still feel that most of the biggest Pike of the year come right at ice out and on Deadbait rigs though.  No matter what pattern I am using I am a believer in using Dr. Juice Northern Pike scent on my bait / lures.  

I have been rigging my Pike gear all up and just bought over 100 dollars worth of primo Smelt from Dakotamart in Pierre.  They just got in some really good ones a couple weeks ago.  I would buy some now as when the Pike frenzy hits here in a couple weeks they will sell out fast.  Good bait is hard to find some years.  I like to use the biggest bait that I can find.  I am all rigged and ready to go! 

I have been booking quite a few Trophy Pike gigs in the past 10 days and I still have some open days in late March / early April but my pike window is filling up.  Please contact me soon to ensure a primo date to catch a trophy Pike of a lifetime...  I have a big Pike tournament on the 25th of March and hope to do better than the 2nd place I recieved last spring..  Some of the best Pike fishermen in Lake Oahe are in this invite only tournament.  Lots of fun no matter what happens...  Lake Oahe Pike fishing is amazing... Come join me....

There is still a fair Walleye bite going on in the Pierre area.  The recent snow and cold has shut the bite down but the forecast for this weekend is around 60 degrees.  With a week or so of steady warm weather the Walleye bite will start back up.  Jigs and Minnows this time of year.  1/8 & 1/4 oz jigs in chartreuse, white, green and pink combos are my favorite.  Casting and drifting jigs along sand bars and current edges from the Tailrace to the Bad River is the ticket right now.  The Corps is running a decent amount of water out of Oahe right now and that will help the Walleye bite too. 

Spring fishing on Lake Oahe and Lake Sharpe is just starting...  I look for 2017 to be another good year for all species of fish.  It will be fun to see how the ice out Salmon bite develops too.. Last falls Salmon were nothing short of gigantic.  20 pound plus Salmon were not that uncommon.  My biggest Salmon last fall was 30 pounds 12 ounces.... The Smallmouth Bass fishery on Oahe has developed into something crazy too.  I had over 30 Smallmouth last year from 18 to 22 inches... World class Smallmouth to say the least.  The Smallmouth Bass bite on Oahe is really fun as they fight like mini Salmon and don't give an inch.  Trophy Pike, Walleyes, Giant Salmon, World class Smallmouth Bass... Lake Oahe and Lake Sharpe has them all...  There is a seat in my boat waiting for you...

Thank you all!
Karl
 


 
 

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Welcome to Fishing Paradise

With more than 2,100 miles of shoreline, there are plenty of places to prospect for Lake Oahe's bounty of smallmouth bass, walleye, pike and other game fish. You'll be fishing from a brand new 2015 seaworthy and spacious 19-1/2-foot Lund Pro V, fully equipped with the latest in navigation and fish-finding electronics.

Spending a day with Dakota Walleye Guide Service is a learning experience. We'll share with you the latest techniques and tactics for catching more and bigger fish and you'll be a better angler by the end of the day.

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