Karl's Fishing Report

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Welcome

There is a lot of great fishing in Lake Oahe and Lake Sharpe right now and with the excellent spawns we have been having the past few years, the fishing on Oahe and Sharpe will be great for years to come.

Lake Oahe is full of 15 to 25 in Walleyes right now and there is a good population of Trophy Walleyes in the 8 to 12 pound range. Walleye fishing on Lake Oahe is world class and the quality of fish this year on Lake Oahe topped the peak bite of the mid 1990's. Where else can you catch 14 to 18 inch Smallmouth and White Bass, 2 to 12 pound Walleyes, 4 to 18 pound Chinook Salmon? Trophy ice out Northern Pike up to 35 pounds, Channel cats by the dozens... Oahe is one of the best places in NORTH AMERICA to fish. Lake Oahe is your classic deep water reservoir with depths of over 200 foot at full pool. Bottom bouncer and crankbait trollers excell on this massive lake and the spring shallow jig bite is simply amazing. There is over 2200 miles of shoreline to play with....

Lake Sharpe is more of a river system, with classic river current fishing.... areas such as sandbars, current breaks, deep holes and huge flats that you can troll for miles. All presentations work well on Sharpe, bouncers, jigs, slip bobbers, trolling crankbaits.... you name it.... Lake Sharpe is famous for Walleyes, HUGE Smallmouth Bass and White Bass. Lake Sharpe has had great spawns for the past 5 years in a row and the fishing is getting bigger and better year after year. Lots of fast action on the 80 plus miles of Lake Sharpe, thats for sure.

THE SOUTH DAKOTA GAME FISH AND PARKS HAS ENDED THE SIZE RESTRICTIONS FOR SMALLMOUTH BASS ON LAKE SHARPE FOR 2012!

KILLER LIMITS OF 15 TO 18 INCH SMALLMOUTH WILL BE VERY COMMON THIS YEAR! THE DAILY LIMIT FOR SMALLMOUTH BASS IS 5 PER PERSON WITH A POSSESSION LIMIT OF 10 PER PERSON.

BE SURE TO BRING YOUR CAMERA!! AS THE WALLEYE AND SMALLMOUTH BASS STRINGERS OUT OF LAKE SHARPE WILL BE AMAZING THIS YEAR!

The Pierre area has so much to offer... There is always a bite going on somewhere and when the wind howls there is always somewhere to fish. Lots of fishing options. This area has the best fishing around, no question about it. My clients boated 14 "South Dakota Trophy Angler" fish this past summer. It takes Walleyes over 8 pounds, Smallmouth Bass over 18 inches, White Bass over 17 inches, Salmon over 13 pounds and Northern pike over 15 pounds to qualify for this award. These are trophy sized fish anywhere in the world and we have them all here in South Dakota.... 2011 was a great year and I would love to take you and your group out fishing this spring to show you the amazing fishing this area is famous for. You will not be disappointed. 80% of my business is repeat customers and I want you to have a great fishing trip and come back year after year also. I will do my very best to accomodate your every need. I have made many great friends over the years and I would like you to be one of them.

I have a new 2011 Lund 1975 Pro-V outfitted with all the best toys and I would love for you to help me put some fish in the livewell next spring / summer. Please drop me an e-mail at or give me a call at (605)223-3186 to book a trip of a lifetime. If you have any questions or if I can help out in any way please give me a call. Thank you all for one of the best summers I have ever seen and I have been guiding here for 18 years... I truly feel next summers fishing will be the best that Oahe and Sharpe has ever seen. All the factors are there...great forage base, great spawns / lots of year classes of all species of fish, high water levels.....everything a fisherman can ask for...

Thank you all...
Karl Palmer
Coast Guard Captain
Reference #2987218