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Angostura Reservoir Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Black Hills gateway water: Angostura holds walleye, bass and warm water where the plains meet the pines.

2/5
Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.
Water temp
~66 F est.
Air / High
96 / 98 F
Wind
SE 6 mph

Sources: Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

2/5Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Angostura Reservoir lines up a genuinely fishable day across the board. Today brings clear skies, wind SE around 6 mph, rising pressure near 1004 hPa and a high of 98. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

WalleyeGood

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Northern pikeGood

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

White bassFair

The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

CrappieSlow

Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

Tomorrow: Similar at 99 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp96 F
High / Low98 / 61 F
WindSE 6-8 mph
Pressure1003.9 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain0% cloud, 21%
Sunrise / Sunset06:21 / 19:23
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunset

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Overcast, 98/61 F, wind 9 mph, rain 21%

Fair or better. A 9 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Angostura Reservoir: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

White bass illustration

White bass

Best: Mar-May run

River-run spawners and open-water schoolers. Fast limits when you find them. The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: Nov-Mar

Brush piles, bridge pilings and standing timber. The fish fry favorite. Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

When to come: the Angostura Reservoir calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Walleye
White bass
Northern pike
Crappie
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Angostura Reservoir today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Walleye led the card at good. High of 96 F, wind to 16 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Walleye led the card at good. High of 96 F, wind to 18 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 84 F, wind to 13 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

South Dakota requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

South Dakota license plus state park entrance. Walleye, bass and pike limits per current Game, Fish and Parks regulations.

Access

Angostura Recreation Area ramps, campgrounds, cabins and beaches.

About this water

A 4,700-acre Bureau of Reclamation reservoir on the Cheyenne River, Fall River County, South Dakota.

Fishing Angostura Reservoir: the full guide

A reservoir below the hills

Angostura Reservoir covers about 4,700 acres on the Cheyenne River south of Hot Springs, South Dakota, at the southern edge of the Black Hills. The setting is transitional: pine-covered hills to the north, open plains to the south. The water warms more than the mountain reservoirs, supporting walleye, smallmouth and largemouth bass, northern pike, crappie and catfish.

Walleye and bass

Walleye hold the points, rocky shorelines and flats: jigs in spring, trolled crawler harnesses through summer, and a fall jig bite. Smallmouth work the rock and riprap, an increasingly popular light-tackle fishery in clear water. Largemouth hold the brushier coves and any submerged cover, with the upper end near the river inflow holding the most.

Pike, crappie and the beaches

Northern pike patrol the weedier areas and shallow bays, taking spoons and spinnerbaits. Crappie stack around structure in spring. The reservoir is also a serious recreation destination with sand beaches and warm summer water, so July and August bring heavy boat traffic: fish early and late, or in the shoulder seasons.

Fall River County logistics

Angostura Recreation Area provides ramps, camping, cabins and beaches, one of South Dakota’s most-visited state parks. Hot Springs is minutes north, with the Black Hills and Wind Cave National Park nearby for non-fishing days. Water levels vary with irrigation. Wind sweeps the open southern end most afternoons.

Common questions

Is it crowded?

In midsummer, yes: it is one of South Dakota’s most popular state parks, with beaches and warm water drawing families.

What is the main fishery?

Walleye, with smallmouth bass on the rock increasingly popular and pike in the weedier bays.

Is the Black Hills nearby?

Immediately north: Hot Springs, Wind Cave and the southern hills are all within a short drive.

Is fishing good at Angostura Reservoir right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Nearby waters

Pactola Reservoir50 miBelle Fourche Reservoir96 miGlendo Reservoir100 miMerritt Reservoir139 miNorth Platte River (Grey Reef)160 miNiobrara River164 mi
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