Flooding improves fishing

[Lee Borgersen]

Missouri River: Flooding improves fishing 

  3:05 a.m. CST, January 17, 2012

Last year's Missouri River flooding was hard on landowners, but a biologist said the deluge has made for great January fishing in southeastern South Dakota.

An unseasonably warm winter is prompting boaters to fish just below the Fort Randall and Gavins Point dams. South Dakota fisheries biologist Sam Stukel said there's a lot of walleye, and anglers are making up for time they lost to last summer's flooding.

Stukel said the flooding washed more nutrients into the river, which means a bigger food supply for fish. He said there's also plenty of smelt, which are tiny fish that are eaten by bigger walleye and bass.

 

 


Stukel said the river should see improved fishing for the next two to five years.