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Lewis and Clark Lake Fishing Report

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

The Missouri’s shallow reservoir: Lewis and Clark Lake holds walleye and catfish between two states.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Water temp
~66 F est.
Air / High
94 / 95 F
Wind
ESE 8 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.

Lewis and Clark Lake sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. Today brings clear skies, wind ESE around 8 mph, steady pressure near 1008 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: Cooler at 90 F with a rain chance. 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 temp94 F
High / Low95 / 69 F
WindESE 8-9 mph
Pressure1008.0 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain0% cloud, 2%
Sunrise / Sunset06:58 / 20:00
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 · Showers, 95/69 F, wind 9 mph, rain 2%

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 Lewis and Clark Lake: 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 Lewis and Clark Lake 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 Lewis and Clark Lake today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

5/5 Excellent. Go now. Everything lines up: pressure, wind and light are in your favor. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 93 F, wind to 10 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 91 F, wind to 13 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 89 F, wind to 11 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 or Nebraska license under reciprocal terms for the boundary water: verify current rules. Walleye and sauger limits differ by state.

Access

Ramps and recreation areas on both shores; Yankton at the dam; tailrace access below Gavins Point.

About this water

A 30,000-acre Missouri River reservoir behind Gavins Point Dam between South Dakota and Nebraska.

Fishing Lewis and Clark Lake: the full guide

A reservoir filling with sand

Lewis and Clark Lake spreads about 30,000 acres on the Missouri River behind Gavins Point Dam between South Dakota and Nebraska, the shallowest and most sediment-filled of the mainstem reservoirs. The delta at its upper end has grown enormously as the river drops its load. The fishery is productive: walleye, sauger, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, white bass and crappie.

Walleye and sauger

Walleye and sauger hold the points, flats and the delta area where current still moves: jigs and live-bait rigs in spring, trolled harnesses and crankbaits through summer, and a strong fall bite. The tailrace below Gavins Point Dam is among the most productive stretches on the river, concentrating fish in the current.

Smallmouth and catfish

Smallmouth bass work the rocky shorelines and riprap, an underfished component. Channel catfish are abundant and grow well in the fertile water, taking cut bait on the flats and in the delta. White bass and crappie appear in numbers depending on the year and water conditions.

Yankton logistics

Ramps and recreation areas serve the lake from both states, with Yankton at the dam providing services and the Missouri National Recreational River protecting the free-flowing stretch below. Wind builds chop quickly on shallow, open water. Either South Dakota or Nebraska license covers most of the lake: verify current reciprocity terms.

Common questions

Why is it so shallow?

Sediment: the Missouri drops its load as it enters, and the delta at the upper end has grown enormously over decades.

Is the tailrace productive?

Very: the water below Gavins Point Dam concentrates walleye and sauger and ranks among the river’s best.

Which license do I need?

Either state under reciprocal terms for the boundary water: confirm the current arrangement before fishing.

Is fishing good at Lewis and Clark Lake 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

Big Sioux River76 miLake Francis Case92 miLoup River97 miLake Thompson100 miCalamus Reservoir108 miStorm Lake125 mi
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