Hutch's Guide Service Fishing Reports

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2015 Fishing Reports

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Watch Hutch's Video Reports on AnglingBuzz.com

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Happy Holidays

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of my customers from this year and so many from years past a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. If you were up fishing in the Pierre area you know it was a great year and it looks like next year will be excellent too. I sure hope all of you are wishing for new fishing rods etc. from Santa and will come on up to Oahe/Sharpe and use them in 2016. Have a great Christmas.

Hutch and Francie

Fishing/hunting Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area Nov 23th thru the 1st Dec 2015

Weather sums up the report as far as fishing go's around Pierre. There are a few die hard fishermen out and they are doing well on Sharpe but snow has arrived shutting down most boat traffic. I am sure after this storm gets wound down there will be boats out for the last of the open water fishing for the year with most of the guide work centering on hunters in the area wanting to take some walleye home along with their birds. Jig/minnows along with pulling flicker shad pugs are the choice for most guides that are out. 10 fow seems to be the average on Sharpe. Just haven't heard much on Oahe and now with the snow boat rams accessing places like the Cheyenne river are real tough to use so unless we get some real turn around weather the fishing on the big lake is waiting for ice. If fishing make real sure to have the additives in boat gas and trimming motors up and down after fishing along with making sure you don't have any water in oil in lower units is a must as failing to do so can be real costly. Bird hunting around our area is late season requiring blockers as birds are grouped up and for the most part wilder now. Having a lot of guns and dogs and surrounding area's produce's the best results. There are plenty of birds yet but they are much harder to hunt especially on public ground. I hope every one had a great Thanksgiving and will take this opportunity to wish all a great Christmas season.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for November 9th thru 18th 2015

It is the tail end of the open water season around Pierre and there are still a surprising number of boats out especially on some of these great Indian summer days. The bite is somewhere between decent and excellent on both Sharpe and Oahe. I have been on the water just about every day fishing hunters and then a great trip fishing and hunting with friend Mark Dorn son Jake and son in law Randy. We had both limit fishing and limit hunting for another annual fall trip that ended in success. All of these trips produced either limits or 6 to 10 walleyes if fishing just a few hours. We caught most of these fish either pulling plugs (flicker Shads) or with jigs/minnows /gulp in 10 fow or less within 15 miles of Pierre on Sharpe. Oahe can be really good especially for over 20 inch fish in depths from 3 fow to 15 fow with most of the action generated by tailing jig/minnow/chubs way back or casting them away from the boat. Not as much traffic on the big lake any more so have a buddy boat around or a real good running boat to fish out of is smart as a break down now will probably leave you on the lake alone especially during the week or if weather is iffy. Water temps are in the 40's in most areas. Bird hunting is super on private land but requires a lot of guns and dogs to work most of the public ground around Pierre as birds are wilder now. There are probably not a lot of open water days left unless El Ninio keeps the winter mild so my reports will be less frequent.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area October 25 thru November 5th 2015

We have had some just great weather lately making for overall good fishing. I haven't been on the water as much but the last three or 4 days we did limits one day then the next day catching maybe 8 fish or so. I helped Dave Spaid with some of his hunters and we caught 30 fish or so a day making for some great trips for these guys. The bite is in around 8 to 10 fow on Sharpe with plug fishing or jigs/minnows btm bouncer/minnows the baits of choice. Oahe continues to have some really good stringers some days but there are plenty of days that turn into hard work to come in with bag limits. Fish are 5 to 15 feet deep for the most part and jig/minnows or bouncer minnows putting fish in the boat. It is necessary to get your baits away from the boat especially in the clearer waters with trailing jigs way back behind your boat much more productive than fishing right under the boat. With the season winding down I will be doing these reports on more of a weekly basis. Bird hunting is great around Pierre.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for October 22 thru the 24th 2015

I guided the Veit Corp group of guys from the Twin City area for a couple of days of fishing and bird hunting. Another example of a Corp paying for a great bunch of guys that make them money. We fished in the morning on Sharpe and did not put that many fish in the two boats that were out speaking to the spotty bite I have been warning about on the river. It seems like one day it is a morning bite then the next they go in the afternoon making these half day trips somewhat of a guessing game. Oahe is spotty also and both bites are weather related but for the most part fish on Oahe are being caught in around 15 fow and on Sharpe in around 10 fow with jig /minnows or plug pulling being the baits of choice. Fortunately the bird hunting part of this trip for the Veit guys was great and they all shot limits in the afternoon at the Steffen Brothers Ranch making everybody happy. The way I will sum up the fishing bite is real nice 18 inch average size walleye and some days limits but if weather is bad or corps is running not enough or too much current hard. Still if you can get in on some of these Indian Summer day's coming up it sure can be worth it. Bring the warm, dry clothes along from now on.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for October 11th thru the 18th 2015

When the weather is good usually so is the fishing around Pierre on Sharpe but Oahe continues to be on again off again. I guided the Bill Boettgler group to nice limits on Sharpe then took out Tom Ellis and wife from Casper again catching nice walleye and finished the week with a group of guys Ramrodded by Greg Geeneogh from over around Gillette WY for two days of limits of walleye's on Sharpe. All these fish were healthy 18 inch average size walleye that we caught by either pulling flicker shad plugs or with bottom/bouncer minnow or jig minnow presentations. I had a great time guiding all of these groups and hope to see them again in the future. The bite on Sharpe around Pierre is very good when conditions are right but can be off if weather(wind) creating dirty water or current the corps is running is either too slow or too fast. For this reason I will call the over all bite in our area as spotty on Sharpe and the same on Oahe with the fall bite not really in full swing on the big lake. Smallmouth fishing is still decent in depths of 30 fow and most walleye coming in are in 10 to 15 fow on Oahe with jig/minnows the bait of choice. The bird opener was very good around Pierre however warm weather was a factor along with most crops still standing so some groups experienced tougher hunts. Once the harvest gets done everyone should get great shooting. As the season winds down I will continue to do reports however on a less frequent basis. I will also continue to do weekly video's for Lindner Media Angling Buzz if that will help you plan trips etc.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for Oct 4th thru the 11th 2015

I guided Lyle Roberts and friend Rusty for two days and then fished repeat customer Tom Werblow and group from North Platte Ne for a couple of days and had limited results for both groups and that is the way the bite is. With both of these groups we had one day of 6 to 10 fish working real hard and one day of limit fishing with a better bite. The Cheyenne river area and Sharpe downriver from Pierre is where we fished using both bouncer/minnows and flicker shad plugs trolling. It seems like it is real good fishing (lots of boat traffic) one day and real hard the next around Pierre. Minnows or plugs are the bait of choice however crawlers still work. If we get some colder nights things might come around to a nice fall bite but for now it is an off and on bite for most anglers. If you are going to fish around the Pierre area be prepared to fish with a lot of other anglers especially on weekends. Pheasant opener for out of state hunters is next weekend and there are big numbers of birds but not many harvested fields around Pierre but most good hunters with dogs should get their birds.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for Oct 1st thru 3rd 2015

I indicated in my last report that fishing was picking up and it was but I should have put more emphasis on weather as the last trip I just finished with Nick Flaten and his son from Iowa was hurt big time by weather. We were out two days in 25 to 40 mph winds for a limit day one but actually having to call the trip because of both weather and a poor bite. I think the fish really turn off on Sharpe when the corps is running a huge amount of water thru the dam in Pierre and not releasing any down river. The water actually rose two feet over night on Sharpe and the bite just shut down. I think this is temporary and will be okay when the weather gets better and the corps run normal flow however it is hard to predict a bite. Oahe continues to get better but to fish you need weather also so check extended weather reports and cross your fingers when coming over. The fishing season is starting to wind down with hunting now starting to be in the forefront but I will still keep up with fishing reports as the fall bite progresses. Pheasant hunting looks like it is going to be as good as it gets around Pierre so if you are coming over you should do real well.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/ Sharpe Pierre Area for September 25th thru 30th 2015

Fishing around Pierre on Sharpe has turned around some. I think the weeds are starting to die out on Sharpe bringing a lot of the walleye out to depths (5 fow to 10 fow) where they are easier to catch. Most boats going out recently have been coming in with nice fish. Oahe is also starting to see more fish up shallow so when weather permits fishing the big lake is not a bad choice especially if you like seeing less boats. The smallmouth fishing on Oahe is still excellent with lots of 4lb or bigger fish in daily catch's. I guided repeat customers the Stuemiller father/son duo to a nice limit of smallmouth some northern and some nice walleye on Oahe then took the Chris Robinson group of Rapid City out for limited results in big wind managing some walleye, northern and white bass. Both were real nice groups. I then guided George Thomas from Pennsylvania and his son for a nice limit of walleye on Sharpe and then a nice limit of Bass and a couple of walleye on Oahe. We caught the walleye in shallow water (5 to 10 fow) and the bass in around 20 to 35 fow. We used nightcrawler or minnows on btm bouncer's. Fish are being caught pulling plugs/Jigs and gulp with a lot of presentations working. I think I can describe the bite as good and getting even better as the fall temps come down. Weather will start to be more of a factor to consider now so coming over with plenty to wear is a good idea.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area forSeptember 21 thru the 24th 2015

The report hasn't changed much from the last one in that fishing is still Spotty. The river (Sharpe) around Pierre is busy and if you get in the right area's limits are being taken on plugs /minnows/jigs and bouncer/crawler/minnows but since the fish are concentrated in several community spot areas you will probably be fishing around other boats. Oahe on the other hand has much less boat traffic so getting away from the crowds is easier on the big lake. Smallmouth are still going strong on Oahe but walleye are tougher to get. I along with Guides Gail and John guided the Dow Agri group ramrodded by new boss Emma for one day of mostly smallmouth fishing and one day walleye fishing on Sharpe catching an over all nice bag of fish for them however we did not get possession limits this year. Everyone had a great time and just another great repeat business group that I have been able to guide over the years. An example of a great company paying back loyal employee's for working hard. I then Guided Richard and Debra Tesarek from Nebraska to a nice limit of walleye on Sharpe. A great couple and they still have another day to chase some bass. We caught the bass in around 20 to 30 fow on Oahe and most of the walleye on Sharpe in less than 10 fow. Crawler rigs for the walleye and Minnow/bouncer rigs for the bass were the baits of choice. We need some colder night temps to cool lake waters down and bring the walleye up shallow for a better fall bite but all around fishing is good for the experienced fishermen.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre Area for September 17th thru the 20th 2015

My Last report spelled out a drop in fishing and as far as walleye fishing goes around Pierre and it is still down from normal on Oahe and spotty on Sharpe. Oahe is still going great for smallmouth but hard for walleye. If water conditions are good on Sharpe it is doing great however if the current the corps is running is off or the water muddy's up the bite can be tough here also. I fished the brother of one of my regular customers Glenn Rose and his group from Colorado to three nice limits of walleye on Sharpe. Had a great time with a great bunch and then fished my Iowa neighbor Stewart Uken along with his Dad Glen and brother Mike for one day of smallmouth fishing on Oahe and one day of walleye fishing on Sharpe. We got limits both days of really big smallmouth (several 19 to 20 inch fish) on Oahe and on Sharpe we limited with a nice 17 inch average size walleye with two over 20 incher's. The weather was great and we had great fishing both days except for the walleye fishing on Oahe. That was tough and the smallmouth saved the day. A real nice family trip for them and it was great for me to be able to fish with my Iowa neighbor. The bass on Oahe were in around 28 fow and minnow/bouncer rigs worked best while nightcrawler/bouncer rigs in around 5 fow worked for us on Sharpe. I think we need some colder nights to bring the water temps down and bring the walleye shallow were they are easier to catch on Oahe. Hopefully every report will get a little better as the fall bite gets started.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for Sept 6th thru the 16th 2015

This report is full of bad walleye bite information. The bite on both Oahe and Sharpe around Pierre has gone from good to bad this week especially for the walleye. I guided the John Hanson group of repeat customers along with repeat customers from Kansas the Sederlin Group to limited results. Both of these groups are favorites of mine but as far as walleye catching on both Sharpe and Oahe it was limited. Smallmouth Bass are going on Oahe if you land on them usually in around 30 fow. I got limit's of these for the Bob Gardner group from Colorado. Walleye have gone deep for the most part and are real hard to find up shallow and water conditions on Sharpe (dirty water) need to improve. I think some cold weather nights will get things back to normal. It is always real tough to be a fishing guide when the bite gets like this as all of these customers are great groups and normally go home with lots of fish and I feel down when I have to send them home with less than their limits. It just doesn't happen often on these lakes.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for Sept.1st to the 5th 2015

I guided another group of repeat customer's Doctor Scott Rose wife Ann and Doctor George Thomas and wife Cathy for a 3 day trip. Another group that just makes my job great. We fished both Oahe and Sharpe getting nice limits of walleye on both lakes and then day 3 because they had their limits of walleye we went back on Oahe for limits of smallmouth bass. We caught the walleye on Sharpe in 10 fow fishing with Nightcrawler bouncer rigs and on Oahe we fished in 20 to 30 fow with the same. We caught the smallmouth in 10 to 20 fow mostly with minnows/gulp.We had an over all 17 inch size on walleye and about the same on the smallmouth with one smallmouth a 20 incher going around 5 lbs. with many other smally's over 18 inch's. Both lakes are going great for walleye smallmouth and catfish with some northern's coming in. Remember that on Sharpe the slot limit after Sept 1st is back to 15 inches. Hot weather is around so plenty of water in the boat along with sun screen/bug spray are all good idea's. It was great to see this group back again and as I mentioned above one of the main reasons I have never had second thoughts about guiding as a career.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for Aug 29, 30th, 31th 2015

I finished the month out with a great bunch of guys ramrodded by Ryan Webb of Denison Iowa. The Aspinwall co-op from Aspinwall Iowa got their possession limits of real nice 18 inch average size walleye along with some catfish Northern and smallmouth bass. Guides Dave Scott and John helped me with this group and we all had fun. We fished both Oahe and Sharpe working hard for the fish but got all they could have fishing in around 15 fow to 30 fow on Oahe and around 10 fow on Sharpe. We caught the fish using Bouncers/crawler/gulp or bouncer/spinners. This bunch of guys had been around fishing for a long time so they all new how to catch the fish helping us guides out. Another example of a CO-OP spending dollars on a fishing trip as a reward for good work. I along with the other guides really appreciate these trips and hope to see these guys again. Fishing on both lake's can be tough for folks that do not know the lakes but most experienced anglers that know the lakes are doing limits. Lots of Salmon boats out trying for another record salmon but I am hearing that it is not a numbers thing. Mostly a chance to get a big fish. Cat fishing for big cats is very good now especially on Sharpe. Check out the size on my pictures page for the last two or 3 trips. Hot weather is around so plenty of water and fly spray help make a safer and better trip.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre Area for 22nd thru 28th 2015

Fishing generally has toughened up some on both lakes. On Oahe it is harder to find the fish and on Sharpe in the Pierre area there are nice fish but not numbers. West Bend on Sharpe still putting out numbers but here size is smaller. I guided repeat customers the Jay Woofer group from Kansas to limited results and then took along with 6 other guides repeat customer Dow Agro Science group for a total of 3 days fishing both at west bend and in the Pierre area. We did manage limits of walleyes a big bunch of cat fish and some bass. This group is another favorite and is now ramrodded by Emma (Dow Agro) and Marty (Crop Production Service) replacing Lonnie Wann who has retired and missed by all. Just a great bunch of guys and gals and every one including guides had a great time. We caught most of the walleye in 20 fow or less on Sharpe and the Bait of choice was still bouncer/gulp or night crawler rigs along with some flicker shad plug trolling. Another example of company's paying for a vacation for both customers and employee's and all of us guides along with the resort appreciate the business. Then guided the White group to a limit of walleye on Sharpe and had a one fish short of limits on Oahe. Lot's of boats trying to break the record again for salmon but numbers aren't there.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report for Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for August 18th thru the 23rd 2015

The wind has been blowing real hard making the fishing on these days the same. We have had a couple of days we actually had gusts as high as 60 mph. I guided repeat customer Brandon Vorthman and his daughter for one day at West Bend catching them limits of nice eating size walleye. We fished around 20 feet deep with bouncer /crawler rigs and had a great time. I then helped guide the CVA group for the Outpost Lodge for 4 days with Central Valley Ag bringing two groups of guys and gals (75 a group) on their annual outing. The guides went different places and all in all the trip was good however many boats including myself had a tough time coming in with limits especially in the big wind days. For some reason the bite has gotten much harder on Oahe with fish any were from 10 fow to 50 + fow making finding them very difficult. West Bend continues to put out fish when the weather permits but catch's are way down there too on those days the wind howls. It looks like the upcoming week is going to have some normal weather again so maybe my next report will be more favorable. Cat fishing is going and some big Salmon are still coming in but the salmon bite is not a numbers game. It is mostly fishermen looking for another state record fish. Smallmouth fishing is very good at the Bend and on Oahe. Bait of choice for me are still crawlers/gulp but taking minnows/leech's or even pulling plugs can produce nice fish.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for August 14th thru the 17th 2015

Once again (10 years) I fished repeat customers the Doc Leonard family from Atlantic Iowa to two days of great fishing in some real hot summer weather. Son Doug brought his son and his brother Dave's son along for an annual trip that has produced memory's for all of us. These kind of trips have always been some of my favorite's and this one was right in there. We fished Oahe day one on a calm hot day catching limits of nice walleye on bouncer/crawler rigs going down to 45 to 50 fow. Day two produced some strong summer wind so we went down to West Bend on Sharpe. We caught limits of walleye in around 14 to 20 fow using the same presentation. Both place's most ways to catch walleye work however getting on the fish on a daily basis is more challenging on Oahe. Leechs, minnows, chubs, crawlers, and artificial baits all work. I had NE John help me with Tony and Carrie Staiano from Loveland Colorado getting them nice limits at the bend also. I fished them day two below the dam to stay out of 40 mile per hour wind however we had limited results. The cat fishing below the dam was fantastic last year at this time but they just haven't moved in numbers yet this year. A State record Salmon was caught this week and there have been a lot of boats out trying for them however it is a big fish thing and not a numbers game. It is real hard work but it would not surprise me if the new record gets broke again this summer. My friend Dave Csanda with Lindner Media Production asked me to do a weekly video for their new site Angling Buzz and I have posted a link to that on my reports page. The site's intention is to connect you to a lot of info by a lot of different guide's/professional fisherman and is just starting to develop so if you are looking for that kind of fishing information check it out. The Lindner group are at the top of the fishing world so I would expect this site to end up being one of the best out there and I am glad to put some information about fishing around Pierre SD on the site.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lake's Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for Aug 12th and 13th 2015

I fished two great couples from over Wyoming way Todd and Heidi Richius along with their friends Neil and Cynthia Brinkerhoff to their possession limits of walleye along with some smallmouth bass and some great catfish. We fished both days down on Sharpe using bouncer/crawler rigs in anywhere from 10 fow to 20 fow for the walleye/smallmouth and anchored up in 40 to 50 fow for the catfish. We did this as we had their limits of walleye by 11 o'clock so we just dropped crawlers down to 50 feet and had some fun catching channel catfish. They had some nice meals while they were here and took home some coolers full of filets. Sharpe is going strong but the size is smaller than on Oahe. Oahe is putting out real nice walleye if you can find the fish either when they are up in shallower water (sometimes hard) or going after them deeper in 40 fow to 50 fow. It is more challenging to come in with limits of fish on Oahe some days but if size is something that is important to you it is better. Fishing deep requires sometimes keeping smaller fish as they can be un-releasable when they come up from the deeper depths. I try to find shallow fish first but if I am struggling I will go after them all the way down to 60 fow some days. Minnows/Chubs seem to work better at these depths but crawlers/Gulp work. A side note, my friend Dave Csanda/Lindner Media/Angling Buzz has invited me to do a weekly video on their new site so I will start that for the Pierre area this week and will post when and were you can find those reports in my next report.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre Area August 9th 10th and 11th 2015

Guided a real nice fellow that used to live in Pierre and moved over to Mn. He got his limit of walleyes on a cut short trip because of illness at home. We caught the walleye on the lower end of Oahe fishing deep as in the previous report using around 2 0z bottom bouncers in an average depth of around 50 fow. I am like most guides in that I prefer to find the fish shallow for several reasons. One is mortality rate on released walleye is much higher when you bring up little fish from these depths. This means you are going to have to keep fish that you might release if caught them shallow. Another reason is more tangled lines if you turn to sharp or if someone lets out a little to much line or reels in when the boat is turning. Other things like feeling bite's come into play so most of us will try to fish shallow whenever possible however there are times that going deep is the best option to come in with limits. I try to make that my last option after looking shallow for fish that have come up from the deep. Fishing is good on both Oahe and Sharpe with Sharpe easier to get numbers but the size of the fish when you find them is still better on the big lake. Almost all presentations including lead core line/plug fishing, minnows. chub's and leeches will put fish in the boat. If you are catching numbers and releasing a lot of fish presentations like trolling plugs or spinner fishing along with minnow fishing and gulp fishing will give you a somewhat better chance to release fish. These presentations seem to have less deep hooked fish than slow fishing nightcrawlers etc. It is August so summer weather can be on the hot side and fly's/bugs are around some days so plenty of liquids and good repellent can make for better safer trips. We did not picture the last trip so I will send in a picture of my new rig. Lots of room and a real smooth, dry ride.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area 5th thru the 8th August 2015

I guided two fellows from down Nebraska way for a Stewart Fertilizer paid trip. They put limits of average 18 inch size walleye along with some big smallmouth bass, Northern Pike and Catfish as bonus fish both days. They had all of their over 20 inch fish (one 26 1/2 incher) in their possession limits along with nice fish meals while they were here. I fished them on Oahe in mostly depths around 50 feet. We used bottom Bouncer/crawler/chubs for bait and the big fish won their company tournament. Sharpe at West Bend is still putting out limits of smaller fish but over all size of walleye's is still much better on Oahe. Experienced angler's getting to the right spots /depths are doing well especially on the nicer 18/ 19 inch fish. Leech's minnow and some plug fishing are all coming into play on both lakes. Plenty of fly's around some days so bug/fly repellant are a very good thing to have along with plenty of water. I think many angler's are intimidated with fishing deep depths but try and put 45 to 50 fow in proper perspective. That is just twice the length of most boats. I fish down to those depths with all the same presentations I normally use but keep some bullet weights in the boat and slide them on bouncers to get the weight up around 2 ounces. In big wind it is harder forcing long drifts to stop tangled lines. Right now on Oahe there is just a lot of bait way down taking a big portion of the predator fish down with them. If you can't catch them up in shallow water and you are struggling try the deep but also remember it is much harder to catch and release these deep fish so you may end up with some smaller fish that are un-releasable in your bag.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre Area August 1st 2nd and 3rd 2015

I worked for Dave Spaid helping him guide the annual Capitol Motors trip. Another bunch of real nice guys and gals from mostly Wyoming with Vick and Vic Jr. ramrodding the group. We spent two days fishing lower Oahe in average depths of 30 feet using nightcrawlers/bouncers/gulp. My group got their limits of walleye both days but had to work for the fish. We had over half of the fish in the 17 to 19 inch range but did have to put in some smaller walleye to get to our limits. Every boat also got some smallmouth and a few smaller northern as bonus fish. Right now Oahe is good if you land on active fish but can be tougher and you can spend more time trying to find schools of feeding fish. I give the edge to fishing on Sharpe if numbers are what you prefer. Smaller average size fish but more action on the smaller lake. I think a lot of the walleye on Oahe are suspending and chasing bait out in the deep maybe even around the thermocline so waiting for them to come up shallow is harder. I am hearing of some Salmon being caught in depths of around 90 fow. Not numbers but some real nice ones in the 19 to 20 lb range around the face of the dam. It is August so taking water and bug spray makes for safer better trips. Remember to comply with the new this year regulation of draining all water from your boat before leaving fish cleaning areas. This law is designed to prevent the spread of invasive species.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Lakes Oahe/Sharpe fishing report for July 30th and 31th 2015

Repeat customers Jon Dwyer, Craig Reiner, Bill Johnson and Royce Sheilds came over for two days of fishing with one on Oahe and one on Sharpe. This group of Rapid City and former Pierre residents are another of my favorite repeat groups. The weather cooperated with two great days but the bite on Oahe even in better weather was tough. We did get 10 nice walleye fishing in around 20 to 30 fow on bouncer/crawler rigs but worked real hard to do that. These guys catch the fish when I get them on them but due to and abundance of bait in Oahe and bait that is suspending all over the lake putting limits in the boat on Oahe suddenly has got harder on some days. If you land on active fish they are nice ones and the bite is good. Catching them up from deeper water can be challenging. Lake Sharpe especially from Joe Creek to the dam is lots of numbers with many smaller walleye being caught in depths to 30 fow. You just have to keep the nicer fish to come in with a better over all avg. We fished with bouncer/crawlers/spinners but many presentations work. Minnows bouncer and pulling plugs or spinner fishing might be better on releasing unwanted smaller fish as they tend to not be deep hooked as much as crawlers plain hook rigs. Cutting hooks and leaving a little line is a must if you are going to give these little guys a chance at survival if they are deep hooked. Once again if catching number's is what you are looking for right now this area of Sharpe is a good choice. Oahe in my opinion is still the best choice for bigger average stringers however be prepared to have some days that produce slow spells and a lot of looking for active fish. Lots of drinking water along with fly/bug spray in your boat make for better trips. Weekends are still real busy on both lakes so be prepared to see plenty of other boats around if you can't do a week day trip.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area July 27th thru the 28th 2015

Wind. That sums up this report as the Roger McCandless, Gary Heineman party that I guided can attest to. As strong a cold front as I can remember for July blew in with three days of up to 50 mph gusts made fishing very hard. This is the first party that I have guided that did not get their full possession limit of walleye. Fishing went from good to poor with the wind limiting how and where we fished. Hopefully the next report will be more favorable as the wind is gone and the weather has turned the corner for the better. Stay tuned.

Hutch's Guide Service

Hutch

Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre SD for July 24, 25 and 26 2015

I took the Mike Wiser family from Holdrege NE. fishing both on Oahe and down at West Bend on Sharpe with the first day on Oahe being a tougher bite and the 2nd day real good at the bend. We caught walleye in around 30 fow on the big lake using bottom bouncers and crawlers. We caught them shallow on Sharpe in 5 fow on the same presentation. We had to sit out a rain storm day two but after it blew thru fishing was good. The Wiser family was a nice bunch and we all had a great time. I would like to mention that they had bought a out of state family license on line and were unaware that this license limits the walleye catch to one limit of walleye per day for the whole family and one possession limit to take home so Mike bought a three day license extra so they could take home more fish. I wasn't sure myself about this limitation and am mentioning it because when you read the rules book it is a little hard to figure out. If you want to take fish home the family fishing license is not the way to go. Every one can fish but only 4 fish a day and 8 in possession is what the whole family can keep. There are plenty of flys/bugs around some days so wearing long pants and taking bug spray along in your boat can make for a more enjoyable time. Hot days mean lots of water also. There are plenty of fishermen around on both lakes on the weekends so if you can come over during the week it will get you some what out of the bigger weekend crowds.

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Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for July 22nd 23rd and 24th 2015

I finished guiding another one of my favorite repeat couple's Allen and Ellen Buckley from Omaha NE and it was a pleasure. They had two real windy summer days so we ducked out of them as much as we could and put together some great stringers of walleye along with a few smallmouth/catfish. We fished Oahe in depths around 30 feet and then went down to West Bend on Sharpe for a on the way home trip fishing here in around 20 fow. Both lakes we used bottom bouncers and night crawlers sometimes with small spinners to catch these fish. The average size we kept on Oahe was around 18 inches with many in the 19 inch range. We fished spots that other boats usually do not frequent day one and this was our best stringer. We caught fish on Sharpe at a more frequent rate (numbers) but size is smaller on an over all average. If you scroll back thru my reports one thing that was stand out is the number of repeat customers that I guide. This speaks to the pick I made years ago on the place I chose to start a guiding business .Pierre SD has both a shallow water fishery (Lake Sharpe) and a deep one (Oahe) and both are large enough to stand up to increased fishing pressure and produce excellent fishing year after year. This is also a tribute to a great GF&P's management program. I have been real blessed to have been able to fish these lakes and generate the great catches that have built so much repeat business. I might mention that this is in spite of some nasty SD prairie weather at times. Bring plenty of water in your boats and bug spray along with sun screen as we are in the full summer mode here.

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Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area July 17th thru 20th 2015

I fished father Stan Vorthman and sons Brandan and Mitchal from Treynor Iowa and Denver Co to full passion limits of nice walleye (one to almost 27 inches) along with northern/catfish/smallmouth as bonus fish. They also ate a lot of walleye while they were here. We had some strong winds for the fishing on Oahe but still came in with their limits fishing in 20 to 30 fow drifting nightcrawler/bouncer rigs and then went down to West bend for numbers of smaller walleye with some nice ones. Here we fished ridgeline/humps in around 25 fow using the same presentation. I had a great time on a real nice family trip and sure hope to see these guys back again. Congratulations to gov Cup winner's Doug Iverson and Barry Sargent. The results indicate a lot of nice 2 lb fish in the lake with a great number of teams coming in with this size walleye. There were not a lot of big fish weighted and I think this is because right now we just do not have the numbers of these guys in the lake however next year should produce more of the over 20 inch fish. Both lakes are putting out good numbers of fish with Sharpe (West Bend area) being the pick for lots of smaller 50 fish days and Oahe a nice better over all size but maybe many days not as good on the numbers. Take lots of water and some bug spray along and now maybe icing down the fish you are going to eat a better option than live wells.

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Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for July 14, 15th and 16th 2015

I spent 3 days guiding Dean and Loretta Robinson and friends Bob Cooper and Louis Parrott from Hamburg Iowa and Eagle NE to full possession limits of walleye along with a big bunch of walleye appetizers/suppers while they were here. Just a great bunch of new customers and we had a great time catching lots of walleye in great summer weather. We fished Oahe two days in from 20 fow all the way out to occasionally 40 fow and spent a day on Sharpe at West Bend fishing here around 20 fow to 30 fow. We used nightcrawler bouncer rigs with either spinners or plain hooks both places. Day one on Oahe was tougher and we scrambled all day with a negative bite to get the fish (we did barely) but day three on Oahe was a 50 fish day. Sharpe was an easy 50 fish day so I think if size is not a factor and just catching fish numbers is okay for you it is a good choice around West Bend but I still favor Oahe. Over all average size is much better and if you find active fish (not as easy) good numbers. The Annual Governors cup tournament is this week end and it will be interesting to see the results of boats that are just targeting big fish. This is the oldest tournament around and was started by John and Marlene Brakks long time former Spring Creek Marina owners. It draws some real tough sticks from all over so competition is keen. John passed away 2 years ago but all of that have been around for a while remember him and think of him often especially around Governors Cup time. It was nice to see his son Shaun back in town for this event. I will post the results and speculate that we are going to see some real nice weights come in with trolling for suspended big fish a factor. As a guide I am usually looking for numbers of nice fish every day and do not spend a lot of time just trying to catch a smaller amount of big walleye so it is always interesting to see the results of that style of fishing. Haven't heard of much of a Salmon bite but could have missed information about these fish. Smallmouth fishing is good for those targeting them shallow. Plenty of hot summer weather around so lots of water is a must to have in your boat along with bug spray some days. Remember new GF&P regulations require draining live wells before leaving fish cleaning areas.

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Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area July 12th and 13th 2015

I finished guiding one of my all time favorite repeat family groups. Paul Jacobson sons Alex and Nick, and Cory and Joe Moylan and sons Clint and Matt along with friends Zach Cox, Bobby Barns and TJ Jackson. Guides NE John and Larry Porter helped and we put together what they said was the most amount of walleye filets they have taken home in recent history. They had an honest 18 inch possession limit of walleyes to go home with along with some great walleye meals while they were here. We spent two days on Oahe in depth's averaging around 20 fow fishing with both night crawlers and minnows on bottom bouncers. Day three we went down on Sharpe at the West Bend area and caught at least 40 fish a boat releasing most of them as they were for the most part smaller walleye and they were very close to their possession limits. Here we fished the same way and in depths of around 20 fow. We fished a ridge line and were all by ourselves until two other boats joined us. In all of the guide boats when we released the fish that we did not want if they had swallowed the hook we cut the line and had no floating fish, however after these other two boats joined us all of a sudden floating fish started to appear. I watched one boat close to me just wrench a hook out of a little guy and float it. I am mentioning this because it is just wrong to not try and protect the future of the fishery's here and actually wanton waste is against the law. If you know you floated a fish even if it is small the right thing to do is pick it up and the right thing to do is cut hooks or very carefully go thru the gills to keep these fish alive (harder) I am sure we are all guilty of unknowingly doing this however making no attempt to keep these fish alive is not a sportsman thing to do. These guys might not even know what they were doing but still they should have. Anyway there is a great bite down at the Bend with a smaller size walleye and a great bite on Oahe for those fishermen able to get on active fish. Some boats are struggling however if they are either in wrong area's or just not finding active fish on Oahe so if you are just looking to catch a lot of fish the West Bend area is probably easier. Lots of hot weather but fishing is good.

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Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area July 8th Thru 11th 2015

I took repeat customer Kurt Josh and Jake Jones along with friend Mark Moody all from NE. out for a three day outing doing possession limits of nice 17 inch avg size walleye on Lake Oahe. Just a great bunch of guys and we all had a great time. The fish are getting a little deeper as we caught a lot of these fish in 20 to 25 fow however when the wind was going we went in to 10 fow and did well. I am still using nightcrawlers on bottom bouncers but most baits work when you find the fish. That is the key to the lake (finding active fish) right now so my strategy has always been to keep on the move and fish a lot of spots looking for those walleye that are feeding. Sharpe continues to put out limits of nice fish and there is much less boat traffic on the small lake so if that is important to you it is a good choice. I then started my next trip with the Paul Jacobson group of family guys along with NE John and Larry Porter helping me and I took a nice limit of fish on the first day so this trip started off okay. There is a lot of smoke from the Canada fires around (diminishing) and the weather is hot so sun screen and plenty of water in your boat is a must.

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Fishing report for Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area July 6th and 7th 2015

I did a two day trip with the Callahan group from NE. Sean and his Dad Pat are repeat customers of mine with Sean being the voice of Nebraska football. We got limits of walleye and some bass giving them some great filets to take home along with some real good appetizers here. We caught these fish in around 17 fow on nightcrawler/bouncer/spinners throwing back a lot of smaller fish to end up with a real nice 18 inch avg. size walleye. The bite is very good for anglers that are getting on the fish but if you miss the main bite you can struggle. I do think most boats are coming in with limits. Fish seem to be getting a little deeper so 15 to 20 fow is not a bad starting depth. If the wind blows don't overlook 10 fow. Nightcrawlers, minnows, leeches and plugs are all working so if you have a favorite style it should work. The fly's/bugs are out in some areas so along with sun screen bug spray in your boat can make for a better trip. It was great to go fishing again with the Callahans and we all had a great time. Remember to drain live wells etc. before you leave fish cleaning area's to comply with the GF&Parks new regs designed to control the spread of invasive species. For more details on this reg go to their website.

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Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for July 1st to the 5th 2015

I guided a nice couple from Florida, Butch Collins and his wife for a one day limit of walleye staying on Lake Oahe and fishing in from 10 fow to 17 fow with spinner bouncer crawler rigs and then took Alexis Kee and her boys Gus and Uly out for a trip on Oahe catching a limit of nice walleye fishing with nightcrawler/bouncer rigs in 10 fow. The bite on Oahe is good with limits coming in from the dam all the way up to Mobridge and most presentations/baits are putting fish in the box. Average depths for fishing are from 10 fow to 20 fow. Sharpe is still putting out limits with the 15 inch slot now off until September making catching a limit easier. Smallmouth/northern/crappie and catfish continue to be bonus fish in many anglers live wells. The weather over the 4th was great for the most part so most boats coming to visit the Pierre area had a great time. Bug spray and sun screen should be on your list of things in the boat.

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Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for June 29th and 30th

Once again I took out a real nice group of repeat customers Randal and Todd Harder and their friends Craig and Cory Leland for two days of limit fishing for walleye with smallmouth bass, northern pike, catfish, perch and drum as bonus catches. The weather was great for these guys and so was the bite with nice 17 inch avg size walleye in the box for them to take home along with some great meals cooked here. We caught these fish on spinner crawler rigs bottom bouncer fishing in around 10 fow on lake Oahe. The bite is very good with most boats coming in with limits although it is possible to miss the bite if you get in wrong depths or wrong areas. Most presentations from plug pulling to jig fishing are working along with minnows and leeches. Sharpe continues to put out limits especially in the big bend area with fish there being deeper (20 fow) and less boat traffic. As of July 1st the 15 inch limit length comes off so keeping smaller fish will also help limit catches on Sharpe. Weather has been just great and I think most fishermen coming around Pierre are going home happy. Bug spray is helpful in your boat and remember to drain live wells before you leave fish cleaning areas due to the new GFP regs to control invasive species.

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Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area June 25th thru June 28th 2015

I have been guiding two different groups of repeat customers for the last 4 days so working has been fun. I guided the Bill Hegar group from Ne to possession limits of walleye some bass and catfish for two days having a great time in great weather and good fishing. We caught limits in around 8 fow on crawler/bouncer rigs on Lake Oahe with a nice 17 to 18 inch avg. size walleye going in the box. Just as good a bunch of fellows as you could want to see back so having a good bite was great for me and for them. I then guided long time repeat customers Rex Dave Chris Mike and Tim Rezac from Ne/Ws along with fellow guide Dave Spaid to possession limits of walleye with some nice smallmouth as bonus fish. The bite was off a little making working for the fish necessary but with the weather just about perfect and guiding this family was just as much fun as it can be.  Once again we stayed on Oahe both days fishing in around 8 to 10 fow with nightcrawler/bouncers rigs and had some real nice walleye/bass. It is groups of guys like these that have kept me guiding over the years and for me thinking I made the right choice in career's. The bite on Sharpe is still going and there is less boat traffic there so if not fishing around other boats is something you like it could be a good choice however even when the bite is off a little I favor Oahe. After the 1st of July the 15 inch slot limit goes off on Sharpe so all those 14 7/8th fish can go in the skillet making limit fishing even easier on the small lake. Remember to drain live wells/boats before leaving the fish cleaning areas you are fishing due to the new regs. Just looked at my book and the next trip is another bunch of repeat customer so back out on the lake with some friends in what looks to be more great weather.

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Fishing Report for Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area June 23rd and 24th 2015

We get a lot of Corporate sponsored trips in our area every summer and I along with a lot of other guides just did the BP group of repeat customers for the Outpost Lodge. I fished owner Lee Schull along with Dave Vipulland and Lane Meinen to a real nice 16 fish limit of walleye (17 inch avg.) along with some smallmouth bass getting back to the boat ramp by noon on the 2nd day of the trip. I also along with all the other guides came in with limits of walleye plenty of smallmouth bass some crappie and some northern pike on day one. Company's use these trips as incentives/pay back for jobs well done and all of us on the lake appreciate the business and I know the guys on the trips have great time catching and eating fish. This group in particular is just a great bunch and everybody including the guides have fun. Most of the fish were caught on either crawler minnow rigs or pulling plugs in 10 fow or less but just about every way you want to fish works right now and the bite on Oahe is in full swing. Sharpe continues to put out fish however if you are looking for a recommendation as to the best choice I think Oahe is the place right now as long as the weather holds. I have no information on Salmon fishing but I think it is not real good. The lake is busy so expect to see plenty of other boats around. Courtesy goes a long way in making for an enjoyable trip. Bug spray is starting to be a good thing to keep in your boat. I use Bronco horse stable spray and it controls some of these nasty little pests but some days frequent applications are necessary.

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Fishing Report Pierre Area Lakes Oahe/Sharpe June 21 and 22, 2015

Just a quick update with more detailed reports coming on a regular basis. Due to running into a deer I have been off the water for three weeks hence no reports. I am back on the water now and will start doing reports around every three days or so. I guided the Jay Wright group of repeat customer to possession limits of nice walleye along with some smallmouth bass. We caught the fish on Oahe fishing nightcrawler/bouncer rigs in around 10 fow. The bite on Oahe is very good from the dam up with limits of 15 to 19 inch walleyes the norm for most boats. There are some over 20 inch fish coming in also but numbers for the larger fish are down. Sharpe is still putting out fish but if you are looking for a choice between Oahe or Sharpe I would recommend the big lake. Leeches, crawlers, minnows and pulling plugs are all working so if you have a favorite presentation it should work. Looks like another great summer is going on and I expect the bite to continue. In spite of the lesser numbers of over 20 inchers an abundance of 15 to 19 inch fish in most bags are keeping anglers happy and skillets going.

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Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/ Sharpe Pierre area for last of May thru June 6th 2015

I am doing a quick update to let everyone know that I will be off the water for probably around the next week or two because of getting in a car accident. The fishing on Oahe is in the full summer mode with most boats getting limits up and down the lake. Very nice fish in the 17 to 18 inch walleye avg. range and also good smallmouth fishing. Most of the fish are being caught shallow in 10 fow or less on both minnow crawler combo's along with pulling plugs, Sharpe is still going around the west Bend area but leaning towards Oahe is not a bad choice as limits size wise are better on the big lake.

As soon as I can I will get back and update my report on more frequent rate but will try to post any big changes.

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Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for May 14th thru May 21th 2015

I guided the Tom Gilbert Group from Michigan, then the Cooper Group from the Des Moines area and Bill Hilbert and his friend Tim from Kansas over the last 7 days. We fished both at West Bend on Sharpe for walleye/smallmouth and on Oahe for northern/catfish. We caught the fish at west bend mostly on either flicker shad plugs or bouncer/minnows in 8 fow or less and we caught the catfish/northern in 5 fow or less on slip bobbers/smelt in the back of creeks/bays. The last trip I guided we caught more northern than the previous trips along with around 25 nice catfish average. There are a lot of boats in the Bend area and the bite there is mostly good for walleye and smallmouth however numbers of under 15 inch fish are being released to get limits. From the bad river down to the bend the water is still too muddy to do much. Walleye fishing on Oahe around Pierre is still slow but temps are coming up so the bite should get better with every warm day.

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Fishing Report Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for May 11th thru the 13th 2015

Weather kept most boats home on Sunday and Monday with rain/wind. It also has the bad river running muddy water into Sharpe making the fishing around Pierre limited to fishing from the Bad to the dam and catches there probably average 2 to 4 fish a boat so traveling down to West Bend or going on Oahe are the best choices until the river clears up. I guided repeat customers Marvin and Audrey Finn from Sundance Wy for one day at West Bend getting limits of both walleye and smallmouth bass and one day in wind conditions on Oahe to two dozen catfish and a real nice 20 lb northern pike and another smaller northern. We caught the fish at West Bend/Sharpe in 5 fow to 7 fow on minnow/bouncer combo's and pulling flicker shad plugs. The Northern/ Catfish came on smelt/slip bobbers in 2 fow to 5 fow. in the back of bays/creeks on Oahe. The bite on both Oahe and Sharpe is going especially when spring weather is good. I would say it is adequate but not on fire. Crawlers work but minnow/gulp/trolling plugs still my choice of bait. Looks like some rain in the forecast for the weekend and we need it but if you are headed over to our area probably better bring rain gear. One more time on the new regs. Remember to drain live wells/boats before you leave fish cleaning/boat ramps. For more info on this new reg geared toward stopping invasive species check out the GF&P's website for a look at what is required.

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Fishing Report Lakes/Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area for May 6th thru the 10th 2015

The fish are biting and so is the weather summing up this report before I even write it. Over the years I have always used catfish/northern fishing as an alternative to bad weather so you are going to see some catfish pictures in this report as we have had a lot of real nasty weather days. I guided repeat customer Ken Johnson and his wife to a real nice bunch of catfish and 2 northern pike. We were trying to get Ken a 20 lb. plus northern to mount but it didn't happen. Had a great time guiding them in not so nice weather that did not improve for a one day trip with Dan Casey from Rapid City and his nice two boys so we went back out in 20 to 30 mph winds/Rain catching lots of catfish for the kids but no big northern. The next day They caught walleye and a few bass down at the bend on Sharpe with NE John. I guided repeat customer Doug Kelling and his friend Colin Comer from around KC for a one day catch of 12 nice walleye and some smallmouth bass and then the weather turned bad again. Yup, catfishing in big wind sleet snow and rain. A couple of great guys that showed up without fishing partner Doug Hays this year due to some issues however we managed to have a great time in spite of really challenging weather. We caught the walleye/smallmouth at West bend on Sharpe with spinner /minnow/bouncer rigs and casting plugs/jigs in around 5 to 8 fow and we caught the catfish/northern in the back of bays/creeks in around 2 to 4 fow on slip bobber's smelt. Water temps are in the 50's on Sharpe and approaching that on Oahe. Oahe's bite is starting to go for fishermen that know the spawning area's and are willing to cast shallow. The best catch's are coming shallow with boats that are fishing deeper for the most part catching fewer limits. I love the Spring fishing but crossing your finger's for those great spring days doesn't hurt as every day brings a different set of conditions. It has always surprised me how many times I have taken folks out on catfish trips as an alternative to setting in the cabin and find out the next year even if the weather is good they still want to catch a batch of these catfish. They are good eating, outfight a lot of species, under fished (no limit on Oahe) and a completely different experience. If you find yourself here in some of this no fish weather days you might give these guys a go and find out it can be a hoot and a real surprise in a frying pan. If you fished with corks when you were a kid like I did it can also bring back a lot of memories. Remember to drain live wells/ boats before leaving fish clean area's to comply with new regs.

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Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area fishing report for May 3rd 4th and 5th 2014

We have had some calm days and some wind days but all in all the fish are going on Sharpe and starting to go on Oahe. The spawn seems to be almost over on Sharpe and this means you can catch fish shallow or out to 15 to 20 fow. It makes finding the fish harder because they are scattered, however the fish are biting (especially the male walleye and smallmouth bass) when you locate them. Oahe fish are behind Sharpe due to a little colder water in our area but the spawn is going here also and fishermen in the know are taking limits. The bait of choice is still jigs/minnows/gulp however pulling plugs on windy days can be productive. I haven't tried crawlers yet but suspect that they are working as water temps in shallow water on Sharpe is in the high 50's with most water on Oahe in the high 40's to low 50's. I guided a nice couple from Omaha traveling from a Hills trip to limits of nice walleye and some white bass fishing down river from Pierre and then took repeat customer's Jerry Fennell friend Bill with Dave Spaid guiding the rest of the crew to nice possession limits of walleye and bass. Day one we caught the fish shallow from 3 fow to 10 fow on reel bait flasher jigs/gulp or bouncer/ minnow rigs. Day two because of 25 mph wind we pulled flicker shad plugs in around 6 to 8 fow down at the bend. Just a great bunch of guys from Colorado, KC, Omaha and Wisconsin that come for a old school get together every year and we all have a great time, guides included. Spring is here and the fishing is starting to go on both lakes. I will mention again for new readers 2015 new fishing regs require you to pull live well and boat plugs before you leave the fish cleaning areas were you are fish so if you are unfamiliar with this new regulation check out the GF&P'S website for a complete list of the new law.

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Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area fishing report for April 23rd to May 2nd 2015

I have been getting in late so have got behind on these reports but will try to get them on line now about every 3 days. Fishing has been spotty up till May but we have been putting limits in the boat recently so I will call the bite much better especially on the lower end of Sharpe. Catfish/Northern mostly on Oahe however water temps coming up so this bite is right on the edge of going. I guided Mark Engel the Johnson group from around Rapid and then the Mike Austin group from Denver with limited results but getting full possession limit's at the bend on Sharpe for the Austin group. The bite at the bend is everywhere from 3 fow to 20 fow as the spawn is about over. We caught all of our walleye /bass in less than 5 fow fishing gravel/shale spots with either minnows or gulp the last to days but fishermen were catching them out to 20 fow. Water temps on Sharpe are in the 50's at the bend and high 40s around Pierre were the bite is good for some and not so good for others as the key is running across a spawning female with a lot on males around. Pitching /dragging jig the best choice but bottom bouncer/minnows work some. On Sharpe I look for crawlers to come into play soon. Smallmouth fishing is excellent on Sharpe also. Remember to drain live well/boats when you leave fish cleaning or ramp area's to comply with the new reg's.

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Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area fishing report for April 19th thru the 22nd 2015

Lots of wind days so cross your fingers if you are heading over to our area. The fishing is just starting especially when you can land on those spring days with favorable weather. I took a couple of rancher's from around Alliance fishing for northern/catfish on Lake Oahe in 20 to 25 mph winds. Gary Taylor and his friend Mark topped their catch off with one northern pike around 18 to 19 lbs. along with a couple of smaller northern and a nice pile of channel catfish averaging around 3 lbs. for some nice meals back in Nebraska. We caught these fish on smelt/slip bobbers in 3 fow in the back of two creeks both with running water .Haven't heard of much of a bite for walleye yet on the big lake but Lake Sharpe east of Pierre all the way down to west bend is starting to go with some walleye limits coming in along with some smallmouth bass. Around Pierre expect to have to throw a lot of 14 incher's back to work you way to a limit. Water temps in the high 40's to low 50's are getting the fish moving around. Jigs/minnows are the bait of choice however bottom bouncer/minnows will catch fish also along with pulling shallow running plugs. For the most part target 6 fow or less .Remember to pull the plugs on live wells and boats before you leave. You can trailer to fish cleaning places nearest the boat ramp but after that new regulations call for draining live wells and boats. Check out GFPS site for more detailed info on this if you are not familiar with the new regulations designed to prevent movement of invasive species.

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Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area fishing report for April 16th thru the 19th 2015

Click to enlarge Pike tourney results

Spring has arrived and as usual spring weather brings really nice days along with the wind on many and rain .I fished repeat customers the TCW engineering group of guys from North Platte NE. ramrodded by Tom Weblow for two beautiful weather days and then rain on the third day. A great bunch of guys and we had a great time. We fished the West Bend area on Sharpe and got fish but due to a lot of to dirty water ( stirred by 50 mile per hour on previous day) we had to work for the fish with limited success. The best day was day two with 23 total fish. We caught these fish shallow on reel bait flasher jigs tipped with minnows in 5 fow or less around know spawning area's .I would say the bite is going on Sharpe when weather conditions are right. Oahe is going okay for northern/catfish but still early for the walleye/bass. Willie Gloe had his annual Northern tournament with 41 teams and a 18 lb. fish was the largest with most teams catching fish in the rain on Sat. Walleye catch's along with salmon reports are for the most part not good on the big lake but with warm weather things should improve on a daily basis. We are probably a couple of weeks away from real good reports on Oahe in the Pierre area so Lake Sharpe is the best choice for walleye/ smallmouth fishing around Pierre right now. For the Northern /catfish head for Oahe and best bet are pike rigs/smelt in shallow warmer water in the back of bays or creeks.

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Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area fishing report for April 12th thru the 15th

Wind pretty much sums up the last few days. It has been keeping all but the die hard fishermen home getting boats ready. There has been a bite for walleye on Sharpe for those going out but for the most part a lot of 14 inch males being caught so I would call the bite both here and on the first 25 miles of Oahe spotty and just a little early. Northern/catfish are just starting to go and if this weather stays around a good alternative choice to fish and stay out of the wind. I went out with a couple of friends of mine Jim and Bernie Weaver from Rapid City in 40 mph winds and with taking that factor in did ok catching maybe 10 channel cats and 3 northern pike with one 10 to 12 lb. fish the largest. We caught these fish on smelt/slip bobbers in shallow warm water. Big Bend on Sharpe is starting to have some action on both smallmouth and walleye and a week of warm weather should get things moving. I heard there is a bite going at Mobridge and Pierre is usually a little behind because of the lake warming up due to shallower water north of us. I will be on the water the next three days and will put out a more detailed report after that. It is great to see spring come so we can start to spend more time outdoors (fishing).

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Lakes Oahe/Sharpe Pierre area fishing report for April 1st thru Easter weekend

Not a lot of fishing activity yet as it is early for the walleye boat fishing however those boats going out are having some success. I heard of an 11 pounder coming from below the dam on Sharpe and some limits of male fish all the way down to the bend. The focus on Oahe has for the most part been bank fishing with pike rigs and smelt for Northern and that has brought in several big fish with most anglers getting action. Jig minnows is the bait of choice for walleye and will be until the water temps start to warm. There has been far more real windy days so far so I have not been guiding but after Easter I am going to start fishing so will have more updated fishing reports. Like everybody else cabin fever is driving me to get out fishing especially on the nice spring days. Have a good Easter and get the boat ready. It is early but fishing should be getting that spring start soon.

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Lake Oahe and Lake Sharpe GFP Reports

• Lake Oahe 2014 Report
• 2015 Lake Oahe Fishery Projections
• 2015 Lake Sharpe Fishery Projections

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Oahe baitfish continue to rebound, walleye conditions improve.

By Nick Lowrey nick.lowrey@capjournal.com

The conditions in Lake Oahe continue to improve for walleyes and other game fish, said Game Fish and Parks Senior Fisheries Biologist Mark Fincel.

Baitfish populations devastated by the 2011 floods are rebounding, according to 2014 fish survey data Fincel presented at the GFP Commission meeting Friday. Fincel estimates there were about 20 million rainbow smelt in the lake last year, or about double the number from 2013.

That number is important because rainbow smelt are one of the biggest reasons Lake Oahe produces large walleyes. Smelt have a high fat content, which bigger fish need to survive.

Another piece of good news for the lake was the estimated 167.2 million cool water baitfish Fincel’s survey’s found. Most of those were lake herring he said. Herring aren’t as fatty as smelt but they can help fill in nutrition gaps and take pressure off the smelt so they can recover more quickly.

“This year was a very good year for lake herring,” Fincel said.

Last year was also another record-setting year for warm water baitfish production, Fincel said. Warm water baitfish species include minnows and juvenile game fish such as perch, crappie and white bass.

The solid baitfish population seems to have translated into a healthier walleye population. Fincel’s data show the walleye population is growing and the condition of each fish is improving.

Fish larger than 20 inches long are the exception. The number of big fish is a fraction of what it was before 2011, Fincel said. However, the number of fish between 15 inches and 20 inches long increased in 2014, he said. The average size of the walleyes anglers caught in 2014 was 14.8 inches.

The abundance of baitfish didn’t exactly make things easier for anglers, though, Fincel said. Catch rates on Oahe were well below average in 2014.

“That’s actually a very good sign,” Fincel said, explaining that the fish were harder to catch because they weren’t quite as hungry this year. That means they were better fed and healthier on average.

Lake Sharpe, for its part, produced an average number of fish that were also about average as far as health.

“Lake Sharpe is really a rock,” Fincel said.

Populations of the reservoir’s main baitfish, gizzard shad, don’t crash as rainbow smelt populations have been known to do. But shad aren’t as fatty either. That makes Lake Sharpe a more consistent fishery than Lake Oahe, while at the same time means it doesn’t produce as many fish or as many big fish.

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Month by Month Guiding Breakdown

April/ May

Both of these month's produce excellent walleye fishing along with great smallmouth/ Northern/ Catfish. Weather is a factor so many times we have to stay off big water because of high winds etc. but this is a great time to go after the big northern and catfish in the back of creeks/bays to beat the weather. Also fishing on Sharpe below Dam keeps you out of wind and produce's nice limits of walleye. Jig fishing when water temps cold along with btm. bouncer presentations as water warms most common .Boat traffic can be much more around the Pierre area.

June

By far the busiest month on both lakes.( School out and just traditionally start of summer season] so book early if possible to get best guides/lodging. The fishing is excellent for all species. Weather can still be a factor. We are usually fishing with Lindy or btm. bouncer's.

July

Best all around month for both fishing and weather especially family trips Walleye fishing at seasonal peak especially in high water periods on Oahe. and Sharpe good two. Btm. Bouncer presentations most common.

August

Same as July but there can be hotter weather. If there is a breeze it is not to bad as big lake water temps keep heat down. Fish can be a little deeper but still great fishing.

September

Very good on the walleye fishing with fall weather great toward end of month. As water cools jig fishing starts to come into play again.

October / November

Fishing is still good but weather coming into play again Jigs work best especially in colder water. Combination Hunting /fishing trips most common. Just a note: You can catch fish in all the months above tolling or casting plugs and we do that often. But I have found that guiding people over the years most prefer live bait hover fishing better so I spend more time with btm/bouncer/crawler/minnow/leeches than the plugs but pulling plugs is always a good alternative and sometimes can be the best.

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Kent Hutcheson
E-mail: fishinghutch@aol.com
Cell Phone: 605-220-2844

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