On Friday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers closed the boat ramps near Big Bend Dam, near Fort Thompson, South Dakota. Trying casting shallow running crankbaits into the reeds on the upper end of the reservoir. Ground was broken at the dam site on May 18, 1952, in a ceremony attended by Lieutenant General Lewis Pick, then Chief of Engineers, and the Governors of South Dakota and Nebraska. ELD Match, and 175 gr. There are numerous recreational areas along Lake Sharpe's path. Scattered early white settlements began at this time. . See auction date, current bid, equipment specs, and seller information for each lot. They prefer rocky, clear-water habitats of lakes impoundments and small to medium sized streams. Anglers are catching fish both south and north of the Platte/Winner Bridge along the bluffs. Give a Gift Bottom bouncing the large flats in this area is an excellent way to put a great number of fish in the boat throughout the day. While many of these saugers blend in well with a bag of walleye, Sharpe has been known to produce some very nice saugers surpassing 20 inches and bigger. South Jordan, UT Change Store. Their journals are filled with vivid descriptions of the area and its inhabitants. Open to fishing all year below Bowman Dam. As I missed my next three bites, Dale and Dad threw a couple of walleyes apiece into the livewell, and would have done even better if they could have felt their fingers while rebaiting. Typically, open water exists for about five miles below the dam, depending on weather and water releases, and good fishing exists throughout the area. Learn more in the video above, with Remington's Joel Hodgdon and Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. Open water fishing is available from the day the ice leaves until it reappears again 9 or 10 months later, which makes the lake a magnet . Current and Predicted River Conditions in the Middle Missouri River Basin from the National Weather Service. Instagram: masonpropstfishing, Get the latest catches, behind-the-scenes content and more by following Chris Seylar on Instagram! ", The veteran angler also explains that while the sandbars get the lion's share of the attention, the mouth of the stilling basin is also a great spot to fish. Lake Sharpe begins at the Oahe Dam and flows for 80 miles south to the Big Bend Dam at Fort Thompson. This request coming from both Thompson's tribe and the Lower Brule Sioux tribe. "Fishing has been really hot, and limits are very common.". Lake Sharpe, better referred to as the river by Pierre locals, offers anglers an excellent opportunity to fill a limit of solid 15-18 inch walleyes. Black crappie, yellow perch and northern pike can also find their way into an anglers bag as well. Recreation areas vary from primitive to highly developed areas like the Left Tailrace area located below the dam. Rocky Niewnehuis guides his boat along the bluffs just below Big Bend Dam on the upper end of Lake Francis Case. We detail everything you need to know to find spring walleyes inSearching for Spring Walleye. Off-season or groups of 10 or more: Call (605) 245-2255. The lake is over 60,000 acres and reaches depths of over 75 feet. Fishermen will find a variety of fish including crappie, northern pike, white bass, muskie and walleye here. Name Big Bend Dam Address 33573 North Shore Road Fort Thompson, South Dakota, 57339 Phone 605-245-2331 Lake Francis Case covers just over 100 miles and has a shoreline of 540 miles. Big Bend Dam tours offered from Memorial Day to Labor Day at 1:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays. They now use more precise, modern technologies and apply up-to-date science to reduce flood risk more effectively. 3. Targeting rocky shorelines is often the best strategy. Like us on Facebook for up to date information on the Missouri River Region! On our second rods, we went with our usual backups, consisting of light Lindy rigs. . This means the fishing will often be dictated by the time of year, with spring producing the best fishing when gizzard shad are least abundant. Much of the western shore of the lake is within the Lower Brule Indian Reservation, while the Crow Creek Indian Reservation lies along the eastern shore. Description. In 1997, nearly 160,000 walleye were caught in the lake. As part of its Dam Safety Program, Omaha District conducts detailed engineering analyses to ensure its dams are safe and that risks to the public, property, and the environment are minimized to the extent possible. And if last fall was any indication, fishing should be superb this spring in the tailrace. Located near Fort Thompson, Big Bend Dam is the major earth-rolled dam that creates Lake Sharpe. Fishing over the weekend was very good. President Dwight D. Eisenhower threw the switch that started the first power generating unit in 1954. The dam consists of an earthen embankment, a powerhouse, and eight gates on a concrete-lined spillway. Though less developed than its NPS cousin, Big Bend Ranch State Park stretches along the Rio Grande for 311,000 acres, containing 238 miles of multi-use paths for biking, hiking (Closed Canyon is . Missouri River Lodge in Geddes at 605-680-3877. Accessible out of Downs Marina, the area along LaFramboise Island will lack the current of the main river and feature areas of weed growth not seen along most of the reservoir. Fishing Reports available for your local region or casting type at Sportsman's Warehouse. Try casting shallow running crankbaits such as the Rapala Shallow Shad Rap, Rapala Husky Jerk or other similar baits. Gavins Point Dam, located four miles west of Yankton, was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944. Big Bend Dam began operating in 1964 as one of the six large federal dam and reservoir projects on the upper Missouri River that, as a system, reduces flood risks for the populations and urban and agricultural properties downstream. The twenty-five mile long lake holds a special attraction for sailing enthusiasts and brightly colored sailing masts dot the water all summer long. In the spring, the stilling basin provides anglers one of their best opportunities to catch an over or a fish greater than 20 inches, with fish significantly larger present as well. There have been some nice walleye and white bass caught around the Pierre/Fort Pierre area. Depending on March weather conditions and water releases, open water is common past Crow Creek into the Kiowa Flats, and possibly down to the town of . Missouri River Flood Regulation. Spillway very UNLIKELY to open I like to go with a plain jig at this time of year: no body, no trailer - just a jig and the biggest minnow in the bucket. As a result, the pool level of the Big Bend Dam is the same as the outflow level of the Oahe Dam, and the pool level of the Fort Randall Dam is the same as the outflow level of the Big Bend Dam. Tribal licenses not required unless fishing inland on reservation soil. One cubic foot of water, or cfs, is equal to 7.5 gallons. Chamberlain, SD 57325-9801. Tell them Glacial Lakes & Prairies sent you! The fertile waters that feed the Missouri River and, eventually, giant Lake Oahe have always been popular for fishing. Overall, expect many of the Lake Sharpe walleyes you encounter to be in the 15-18 inch size variety. No reports. North Shore is a portion of Lake Sharpe located just to the west of the Big Bend Dam. Fishing downstream of the Big Bend Dam powerhouse is one of many ways to spend the day on the public land and water around the dam. Tribal licenses not required unless fishing on reservation soil. While shore-fishing in the tailrace will explode. Big Bend Tailrace - Boats not allowed below Big Bend Dam for 500 feet. The capitals of the Dakotas, Bismarck and Pierre, are at the north and south tips of Lake Oahe, the 231-mile reservoir the dam creates. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. This big 'eye weighed in a bit shy of 6 pounds. . Stay up to date with everything by following Lip Ripper Fishing on Facebook! The City of Big Bend is located in Pennington County in the State of South Dakota.Find directions to Big Bend, browse local businesses, landmarks, get current traffic estimates, road conditions, and more.The Big Bend time zone is Mountain Daylight Time which is 7 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). If you want a big lake experience, you'll find it along the Missouri River. As is often the case early in the season, we had nearly caught our limit with a fair amount of ease. Northern Pike and white bass round out the primary species available on this Missouri River impoundment. Reservoir Elevations. This recreation area in Hot Springs is great for anything water related. Other species include common carp, freshwater drum, goldeye, bullhead, flathead catfish, burbot, and other sucker species. "I don't know where those rumors started," Wickstrom stated. Visit the National Inventory of Dams to learn more about how dams work and Big Bend Dam risk assessments. HC 69, Box 74. The Fort Randall Dam area is home to one of America's largest wintering concentrations of bald and golden eagles. All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Amazingly, there are times on Lake Sharpe when anglers have a hard time catching fish below the 18-inch size limit. The River Basin Balancer Game offers insight into an inland waterway and a system of reservoirs, which are operated with a goal for serving each of the benefits, flood control, navigation, hydropower, irrigation, water supply, recreation, fish and wildlife, and water quality, for which many USACE reservoirs are authorized and constructed. NOTE: Data displayed may contain bad points (spikes) that could be related . Sportsman's Warehouse: Shop online or in-store for quality hunting, fishing, camping, recreational shooting & outdoor gear at competitive prices. Find more fishing reports in South Dakota. The construction of the Toledo Bend Dam started in 1964 and was completed in 1969 on the Sabine River. At Akaskathe wind caused a slowdown over the weekend, but things are picking back up. Mainstem Elevations Storages Since 1967. Visitors can view the Oahe Dam and Lake Oahe by following the highway seven miles north of Pierre. Down in this area, the reservoir begins to act like a lake as opposed to the river qualities of the upper end. Catching numbers of walleyes has never been a problem on Francis Case, yet size is another story. Big Bend dam was the last of the six great Missouri River dams built under the Pick-Sloan act of 1944. The reservoir runs from Oahe Dam in Pierre to Big Bend Dam at Fort Thompson. Tours are by special appointment only. DeanneHA/Tripadvisor. The dam itself is unusual in that it's embankment is curved. Pitching jigs on the sand bars, submerged timber and other specific features can produce quick limits of walleyes, especially as the colder weather continues to set in. Tailrace walleyes primarily feed on abundant white suckers and other forage including perch, crappies, minnows and white bass. The stage at Morrilton was steady at 11.68 feet (flood stage is 30 feet). Lake Sharpe is approximately 80 mi (130 km) long, with a shoreline of 200 mi (320 km). Browning Ammunition has two big-game hunting loads new for 2023 that are effective on a wide range of species: the Max Point and Silver Series. Lake Sharpe is a Missouri River reservoir located in central South Dakota. The Fort Randall Dam is the earth embankment dam forming Lake Francis Case in south-central South Dakota. They are fishing mainly in the back of the rivers or creeks. As more fish continue to move up river, many will look to take advantage of the forage the tailrace has to offer.