Over the past week, I spent a few days fishing the Missouri River from Vermillion, South Dakota to Verdel, Nebraska. I was fortunate to be able to target my two favorite species, Walleye and Smallmouth Bass. Today, I found myself in Yankton, South Dakota. I met up with my good buddy Mike Means (fellow IDO member) and his wife, Kellie. Mike will have some more pictures to add here later, and I think a few of them will be worth the wait. Mike spent the last few days fishing Lewis and Clark Lake and he told me a story about releasing a couple of beefy ‘eyes, but I need proof! 
I got on Lewis and Clark around 7:30am and headed to the west end to meet up with Mike. He hadn’t arrived yet so I started trolling the shoreline in 7-10 feet of water. It wasn’t long and I had my first keeper on a Berkley Flicker Shad. Mike showed up shortly after and we continued to boat a few walleye trolling a variety of crank baits with GPS speed at 2.3 MPH. This particular bite only lasted a couple of hours and it died off as fast as it started. But, it was enough to net us a few walleye for the pan, which was my primary goal today. My wife, Tamara is currently introducing these fish to the backyard grill!
Earlier in the week, I had my eye on smallmouth bass near Vermillion, SD. I spent a few hours with my father throwing plastics and crank baits, with crank baits getting the nod. Water temps were in the low 70s on this day. Dad and I managed several bass but the bite wasn’t nearly as good as I’ve seen it in the past. I don’t know if it’s me or the unusually high water we have had on the Missouri this year. I think I’ll blame it on the high water for now. 
Finally, I spent Friday on the Missouri River near Verdel, Nebraska with fellow IDO staff member, Jason Cyboron. Jason was spending the day pre-fishing for the weekend tournament and invited me to tag along. I will always jump at the chance to chase bass on this part of the Missouri River. It’s some of the most beautiful landscape on the planet, and if you catch a few bass, well, that’s just gravy. Jason and I didn’t knock-em-dead on Friday, but we did as much looking for new spots as we did fishing I think. There are so many channels and chutes in that part of the river that I think I’d get lost without a GPS. Exploring the river is half the fun, as long as you’re not park on the top side of a sand bar anyway! As for the bass, Jason and I pitched plastics in the weeds and found a few. We also did the chuck-n-wind, bouncing cranks off the rocks for an hour or so. No particular presentation stood out as I recall, but perhaps Jason will stop in with the results from this weekend’s tournament and give us the full scoop. As for me, I have to get myself mentally prepared for the week of work that lies ahead. I take solace in the fact that I will be back on the peaceful, flowing waters of the Missouri River again next weekend. And hopefully I’ll have a good report to share. I hope to see some of you out there! Have a great week everyone!
Great Job Wade, Nice report!
Nice mixed bag!!!!
You guys coming up here this Fall???
As Wade had indicated I was at Lewis and Clark a little earlier in the week then Wade. My wife and I last week decided to do the Grand Slam of South Dakota. We decided to fish Oahe, Sharpe, Francis Case and then Lewis and Clark.
On Monday Kelly and I traveled to Mobridge, SD to stay with a friend that owns Lakeside Cabins. Jim indicated to me that the lake was up 29′ from the previous year. So I threw out my waypoints and decided to troll wind blown points. We picked up some decent fish doing this and decided on Wed. to head down to Sharpe in the morning.
At Sharpe I went to a common area for people to fish this time of year. We were fishing the West Bend area pulling cranks in 18-25′ of water. We were really hitting the smallmouths and eye’s. We only fished Sharpe for Wed. and decided to go to Francis Case on Thursday.
Thursday I knew was going to be our day to keep fish. We fished out of the Pease Creek (Francis Case) area and decided to troll over the tops of the trees. Again we were trolling crankbaits but this time we were running out a lot of lead to get down to 35-40′. The trees were really good to my wife and I as we kept our limit of 16-20″ fish.
Friday through Sunday we fished the lake that I like to call home, Lewis and Clark. My wife had two of her teaching buddies show up: Candice and Jodie. I decided to take them up the lake and troll in 6-9′ of water. Best decision I have made in a long time. Friday we probably ran through 25-30 fish with the large one being a healthy 26″. Saturday we trolled the main lake and again ran through a lot of fish with my wife catching her personal best Walleye. Wade it was good to see you again and glad you started this report for me.
Mike
Good stuff guys! I knew Mike was on some fish somewhere in SD….I love those text messages with fish swimmin in the livewell!
Thanks for the report and pics, Mike! Very nice fish there, buddy! I have to make that Missouri River tour some time. For the first time in my life, I fished Oahe, Sharpe, Francis Case, and Lewis and Clark all the same year, but not in the same week like you and Kelly did. That sounds like a heckuva good time!
Thanks, Tuck!
I don’t think I will make it this fall, but it’s not a done deal. I’ve stuck closer to home this season, but will be making the Minnesota tour again in 2010. It’s hard to stay away for very long!
GREAT JOB WADE
Thanks for the report and keep up the good fishing!!!
You too Mike!! Congrats to you and your wife for her new PB
Nice job on the fishin’
Grilled Walleye, my mouth just started watering
nice chunky look’n fish there guys. Wife wants to make a run north from Sioux City, now that the trees have stopped coming down the river, should be a bit easier to handle, I’ll push her to trailer up to Yankton, maybe some of those pictures will help! Thanks
Thanks guys!
Pete, There wasn’t much junk floating in the river upstream this week. The week before, it was pretty dirty and there were a lot of trees, especially below the James River. If you get up above the Jim or go up on the lake above the dam, you shouldn’t have any problem at all with trees, unless we get a load of rain this week. Have fun!
Great job Wade. You know, my tournament season is over now.
Let’s get together at L&C soon. 
Wade:
Great work, esp. on the eyes……those look like some quality fish!
Joel
Heck ya! You name it!
IDO Staffer Jason Cyboron sent me a photo from his tourney out of Verdel. He had a great Saturday but a tough Sunday. Thanks for sharing the pic Jason!