Headed to Waubay SD

MOnday through Wednesday; A group (8-12ppl?) and I have houses rented on Bitter SD. Everyone’s bringing portables. Looking to get out on some local bodies of water for some jumbo: Walleye, Perch, Northern, SUnfish, Crappie.

Something i’ve been wanting to do for about two years. GOt a call early this week that there was a bunk available on this trip and I COuldn’t pass it up. Besides, a Thursday/Friday work week next week would be great

Would appreciate a few GENERAL pieces of advice if anyone is willing to share. I can toss out a free Sturgeon Trip on the Croix to anyone with advice. I don’t want/need anything too specific to be posted on the forums.

Thanks – Have a good weekend!

Was out other there 2 weeks ago and had a tough time

Think I was to shallow at 22-24 fow
I would try West of Bitter lake lodge out in approx 32 fow in the deep basin
Look for inside turns and deep points in the main basin

Wau Bay was also slow on the South end but I heard its picking up in the Refuge area. Can’t drive out in the refuge area, walk out only

Enemy Swim is still good for gills in 5.5-6 fow over in the community hole

Good luck and let us know how you did

Fishings been a little slow but its picking up. Going onto Waubay I suggest accessing on Kanago. Like bullcans said on Bitter get into the basin on an inside turn and pound the bottom with wax worms.

Thanks guys.

Sportsman Cove Bait has a daily hotline # that gives a decent update of the current bite in the area. The # is 605-345-2468. They also do a great job of pointing you in the right direction with some great Info. if you stop in there and ask. Good luck out there. I think we are heading out in a few weeks. Keep us posted on how the trip went.

I was out that way 2 weeks ago too (weather was awesome) and it was tough on the big lakes. Some guys only marked a couple fish all day. We lucked out and found some on the many sloughs that are out there. I beat my personal best with a 14″ slough tiger and thought about doing a replica… then saw a 15″er at the lodge. All I got to say is drill / drill / drill… X2 on Sportsman Cove for info…. Best of luck and let us know how it goes.

Right on. I love to drill holes and move move move. Will be fun to cover ground if there’s a bunch of people with portables.

Appreciate all the info guys, pm’s etc… thanks

hope to see reports, i love going down there when the weather is nice in march, except for the snow geese poopin onya as the flock moves over ya. one year a couple of buddies wondered why i was duckin into my portable. “don’t u want to see this huge flock of geese??”. NOpe. we don’t see snow geese from where i’m from and they soon got the picture.

PM sent.

Thank you for all the information. The trip was a blast. Monday was basically a bust with 40mph wind. Tuesday we hit Bitter, Waubay, and Enemy Swim. I caught 23 Crappies, 2 Sunfish, 2 Perch and a big white bass. Wednesday i fished 4 hours on Enemy Swim and iced another 10 Crappies, 8 Sunfish, Small Mouth and a giant White bass. I definitely out fishied the entire group of 12 people; but i stay mobile in my 1-man and all i used was big plastics on a big tungsten jig; i think the rest were using buckshots. LunkerHunt Mini Reaper & Water Bug or Trigger X Nymph. Black worked the best. I did catch some fish on pink or green also.

All sunfish were 8.5″ to 10.5″ and THICK
All crappies were 11″ to 14″ and THICK
White bass were 15 & 17″
Perch both at 12″
1 small walleye
14″ small Mouth.

We kind of ventured out on our own looking for fish; which made it much more rewarding to succeed! I appreciate all the advice though! Truely a fantastic fishery out there!! I’ll be back.

I’ll post pics tonight

Thanks for the report! I’m headed up there tomorrow afternoon for the weekend again. Going to try locating perch as usual.

Glad to hear you had some success

I’m heading out tomorrow night too, stay in touch if you want to work together, I’m willing to share information if I have any, if you are.

PM sent @inskom

Glad to hear that you did well and had fun. I’ve never made it out that way in the winter. Have fished it 2-3 times a year that last few summers. Like you said. Great area with lots of bodies of water to fish. If you want to have fun just catching fish. Head out to Waubay lake in the summer and fish the white bass. You can catch them about as fast as you want and almost anyway you want. Were going to keep some of them this next summer and try pickling them. I’d think that back strap of those white bass would pickle well.

I’m sure they eat just fine!
Not many places you can catch white bass that big.
Sure are a drag squealer!

10.5″ Sunfish.
My pail after Saturday. Yes there is more than a limit of crappie and they were distributed within the group.
I couldn’t believe the size of that sunfish. That’s an 11″ crappie on top of the sunfish.

Great time. Check out South Dakota before booking a trip to Red.

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Great report! Were heading out the 12th. I turned down a trip out there two weeks ago to go to L.O.W. We had fun and caught fish but there is something about the region that has the hook set deep in me.