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Lake Sharpe Fishing Report

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

Missouri River water: Lake Sharpe runs 80 miles of walleye, smallmouth and salmon between Pierre and Big Bend.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Water temp
~66 F est.
Air / High
92 / 95 F
Wind
SE 12 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.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Lake Sharpe sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. Today brings a mixed sky, wind SE around 12 mph, steady pressure near 1007 hPa and a high of 95. 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: Warmer at 100 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 temp92 F
High / Low95 / 62 F
WindSE 12-16 mph
Pressure1007.4 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain26% cloud, 12%
Sunrise / Sunset07:05 / 20:10
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 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Overcast, 95/62 F, wind 16 mph, rain 12%

Fair or better. A 16 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Lake Sharpe: 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 Lake Sharpe 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 Lake Sharpe today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 101 F, wind to 18 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 87 F, wind to 12 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Walleye led the card at good. High of 78 F, wind to 16 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

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. Walleye, smallmouth and salmon limits per current Game, Fish and Parks regulations.

Access

Ramps at Pierre, Farm Island, Joe Creek, DeGrey and other state recreation areas along the reservoir.

About this water

An 80-mile Missouri River reservoir between Oahe Dam at Pierre and Big Bend Dam, Hughes, Stanley and Lyman counties, South Dakota.

Fishing Lake Sharpe: the full guide

A river reservoir

Lake Sharpe stretches 80 miles down the Missouri River from Oahe Dam at Pierre to Big Bend Dam at Fort Thompson, a narrow reservoir that fishes like the big river it is. Current, wind and structure define it. Walleye lead the fishery, with smallmouth bass on the rock, northern pike in the backwaters, chinook salmon in some years, plus catfish and white bass through the system.

Walleye on current

Walleye relate to current breaks, points and the old river channel: jigs and minnows below the dam and in the tailrace areas, crawler harnesses trolled along the flats in summer, and a strong fall bite as fish feed heavily. The tailrace below Oahe Dam at Pierre is a fishery in itself, holding walleye, smallmouth and salmon in the fast water.

Smallmouth and pike

Smallmouth bass work the rocky shorelines and riprap throughout the reservoir: tubes, jerkbaits and topwater produce, and the fish run good size with modest pressure. Northern pike hold the weedy backwaters and creek arms. The Big Bend area and the numerous side canyons offer protected water when the wind blows, which on the South Dakota plains is most days.

Pierre-area logistics

Ramps at Pierre, Farm Island, Joe Creek and DeGrey serve the reservoir, with state recreation areas providing camping. Pierre is the capital and the hub for guides and supplies. Wind is the defining condition: the reservoir is long and exposed, and afternoon chop can be serious. Winter ice fishing is popular in the protected bays.

Common questions

Is the tailrace worth fishing?

Very: the water below Oahe Dam at Pierre concentrates walleye, smallmouth and salmon in fast current, a fishery in its own right.

How is the smallmouth fishing?

Good and underfished: rocky shorelines and riprap hold quality fish while most anglers focus on walleye.

How bad is the wind?

Serious: the reservoir is long and exposed. Use the side canyons and bays for shelter and fish mornings when possible.

Is fishing good at Lake Sharpe right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Lake Oahe37 miLake Francis Case51 miNiobrara River95 miLake Thompson114 miMerritt Reservoir123 miBitter Lake140 mi
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