FISHING REPORT LAKES OAHE/SHARPE PIERRE AREA FOR APRIL TO THE 21ST 2019

[Hutch]

It is that time of the year to start putting out some fishing information. I think spring has finally started to get here. It has been a long hard winter and although it is a little early to tell I think generally speaking the bite might be just a week or so later this year. There has been a lot of runoff making dirty colder water in many areas. The water levels on Oahe are close to as high as they were in the flood of 2011 so lots of water to fish this year on Oahe. Sharpe is up a little but as usual maintaining a fairly consistent level. A lot of dirty water below Pierre all the way down to West Bend on Sharpe making for a tougher bite but I would describe Sharpe below Pierre as just getting started with fish being caught but not in big numbers yet. Above the bad river downtown can be good when they run the right amount of current. Maybe a week will make a big difference as 70 degree days are more frequent warming water temps up. Oahe still has some ice floating around by the dam but this week should clear that all off making open waters all up and down the lake. The bite on Oahe has been good for Northern but walleye fishing is spotty with not a lot of boats out chasing them. The presentations for both lakes right now favors jigs and minnows with fish being caught both shallow were the fish are spawning and deep were they are waiting to spawn. Smelt rigs are the favorite for the northern. I heard that someone caught a 2 lb plus steel-head salmon setting a record for the Atlantic salmon that were just stocked so maybe with these fish getting around it will make salmon fishing more interesting. There haven't been many boats out chasing salmon so I am not sure how that bite is. I will start posting these reports on around every three days starting May 1st as I will be back on the water guiding then and will be more in touch with information.

GREAT TO SEE SPRING ARRIVING AND BOATS ON THE WATER

HUTCH'S GUIDE SERVICE

Hutch

[LPS]

I used to fish West Bend every spring.  Great place.