When is walleye season in South Dakota?

South Dakota keeps walleye open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.

What is the South Dakota bag limit for walleye?

The South Dakota daily bag limit for walleye is 4 / day combined walleye + sauger + saugeye statewide (only one 20 in or longer; 8 possession); 15 in minimum on Lake Sharpe + Lake Francis Case (Sept 1 – June 30; no minimum July – August). The possession limit is 8 in possession statewide. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size walleye can you keep in South Dakota?

The South Dakota size rule for walleye is Statewide only one walleye 20 in or longer (no minimum length); 15 in min on Lake Sharpe + Lake Francis Case (Sept 1 – June 30) + the Missouri River below Fort Randall + Gavins Point dams — Lake Oahe + Lewis & Clark carry no minimum. Trophy rule: Lake Oahe + Lake Sharpe + Lake Francis Case trophy walleye complex; SD state-record walleye 16 lb 2 oz Lake Oahe 1991; SDGFP ~12 million walleye fry + fingerlings stocked annually statewide; Oahe + Sharpe + Francis Case + Lewis & Clark self-sustaining naturally-reproducing populations.

Do you need a license to fish for walleye in South Dakota?

Yes. South Dakota requires a valid fishing license to fish for walleye, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a South Dakota license — compare resident and non-resident South Dakota fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for walleye in South Dakota?

Yes. In South Dakota, walleye fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted (jigging + crank-bait crawling shoreline points most-effective spring tactic on the four-reservoir tier); Live minnow + nightcrawler bait permitted; Ice-fishing tip-ups + jiggers permitted during December – March season; SD Fishing Licence required for anglers 18+ ($31 res / $80 NR annual); Habitat Stamp ($10 res / $25 NR) also required at 18+; Confirm current-year SDGFP Fishing Regulations for trophy waters list.

Do specific South Dakota waters have different walleye rules?

Yes. 17 named South Dakota waters carry rules that override the statewide walleye regulation, including Lake Oahe, Lake Sharpe, Lake Francis Case, and 14 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

South Dakota Walleye 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Sander vitreus

Last updated June 9, 2026

South Dakota walleye fishery is anchored by the four Missouri River main-stem USACE reservoirs (Lake Oahe + Lake Sharpe + Lake Francis Case + Lewis & Clark Lake) that together form one of the longest contiguous walleye reservoir tiers in the country — 470 contiguous miles of the Missouri River from the ND state line at Pollock SD downstream to the NE/IA state line at Sioux City IA, anchored by 583,400 cumulative acres of reservoir surface area in SD's four-reservoir Missouri tier (Oahe 370k + Sharpe 80k + Francis Case 102k + Lewis & Clark 31.4k). Lake Oahe (370,000 acres, the country's fourth-largest reservoir, 231 miles long) is the singular SD marquee walleye fishery — Oahe carries naturally-reproducing walleye + sauger populations supplemented by SDGFP stocking, with the April – June Missouri River tributary spawning run on the Cheyenne River confluence + the Moreau River confluence + the Grand River confluence producing the densest catches of the year. SD state-record walleye 16 lb 2 oz (Lake Oahe, 1991). Lake Sharpe (80,000 acres on the Missouri River behind Big Bend Dam — Pierre SD's home water + the 1-hour-drive Fort Pierre walleye corridor) produces some of the densest walleye catches in the four-reservoir tier — the Big Bend Dam tailwater + Sharpe's confluence-rich main stem + the Old Fort Thompson Hatchery + the Fort Thompson causeway produce trophy walleye year-round. Lake Francis Case (102,000 acres behind Fort Randall Dam) carries the southernmost SD trophy walleye tier — the Fort Randall Dam tailwater is one of the country's premier walleye + sauger spring spawning runs. Lewis & Clark Lake (31,400 acres at Gavins Point Dam, NE/SD boundary) is the southernmost reservoir + joint NE/SD boundary water. The SDGFP statewide standard rule is 4 fish combined daily aggregate across walleye + sauger + saugeye, only one of which may be 20 inches or longer (8 in possession). Lake Sharpe + Lake Francis Case carry a 15-inch walleye minimum from September 1 through June 30 (no minimum in July + August), and the Missouri River reaches below Fort Randall + Gavins Point dams hold a 15-inch minimum year-round — but Lake Oahe + Lewis & Clark Lake have NO minimum length, only the statewide over-20 rule. Open year-round statewide. SDGFP stocks ~12 million walleye fry + fingerlings annually statewide via the Cleghorn Springs + Blue Dog Lake + McNenny + Fort Thompson State Fish Hatcheries. The joint ND/SD reciprocal compact applies on the Lake Oahe main stem boundary between Pollock SD + Solen ND — anglers fishing the Oahe main stem may use ND or SD Fishing Licence on the open water.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round statewide; April – June Missouri River + eastern SD natural lake tributary spawning run is the densest fishing window of the year; winter ice-fishing season December – March classic SD target.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 4 / day combined walleye + sauger + saugeye statewide (only one 20 in or longer; 8 possession); 15 in minimum on Lake Sharpe + Lake Francis Case (Sept 1 – June 30; no minimum July – August)
Possession: 8 in possession statewide

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: Statewide only one walleye 20 in or longer (no minimum length); 15 in min on Lake Sharpe + Lake Francis Case (Sept 1 – June 30) + the Missouri River below Fort Randall + Gavins Point dams — Lake Oahe + Lewis & Clark carry no minimum
Trophy rule: Lake Oahe + Lake Sharpe + Lake Francis Case trophy walleye complex; SD state-record walleye 16 lb 2 oz Lake Oahe 1991; SDGFP ~12 million walleye fry + fingerlings stocked annually statewide; Oahe + Sharpe + Francis Case + Lewis & Clark self-sustaining naturally-reproducing populations

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trolling permitted (jigging + crank-bait crawling shoreline points most-effective spring tactic on the four-reservoir tier)
Live minnow + nightcrawler bait permitted
Ice-fishing tip-ups + jiggers permitted during December – March season
SD Fishing Licence required for anglers 18+ ($31 res / $80 NR annual); Habitat Stamp ($10 res / $25 NR) also required at 18+
Confirm current-year SDGFP Fishing Regulations for trophy waters list

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific South Dakota waters:

Lake Oahe
4 / day combined (only one 20 in or longer, 8 possession) — NO minimum length (statewide rule); SD state-record walleye 16 lb 2 oz Oahe 1991; joint ND/SD reciprocal compact on main stem boundary
Lake Sharpe
4 / day combined, 15 in minimum Sept 1 – June 30 (no minimum July – August); premier walleye in the four-reservoir tier
Lake Francis Case
4 / day combined, 15 in minimum Sept 1 – June 30 (no minimum July – August); Fort Randall Dam tailwater country's premier walleye + sauger spring spawning run
Lewis & Clark Lake
4 / day combined (only one 20 in or longer); follows the statewide rule (no 15 in minimum on the lake); joint NE/SD boundary under Missouri River Boundary Compact
Big Stone Lake
4 / day combined walleye + sauger (only one 20 in or longer); joint SD/MN border water; natural glacial-lake trophy walleye
Bitter Lake
4 / day combined walleye + sauger (only one 20 in or longer); follows the statewide limit; eastern SD glacial-prairie natural lake trophy walleye
Roy Lake
4 / day combined walleye + sauger (only one 20 in or longer); follows the statewide limit; Roy Lake State Park entry permit required
Horseshoe Lake
TROPHY — daily limit 1, 28 in minimum (Day County Glacial Lakes Region trophy-walleye management)
Twin Lake
TROPHY — daily limit 1, 28 in minimum (Minnehaha County near Sioux Falls, trophy-walleye management)
Lynn Lake
Daily limit 2, 15 in minimum (Day County quality-management; Middle Lynn Lake same rule)
Opitz Lake
Daily limit 2, 15 in minimum (Day / Marshall County quality-management)
Curlew Lake
Daily limit 2, 15 in minimum (Meade County prairie lake, quality-management)
Newell Lake
Daily limit 2, 15 in minimum (Butte County plains reservoir, quality-management)
Belle Fourche Reservoir
Daily limit 2, 15 in minimum (western SD plains reservoir; quality-management reduction from the statewide 4 / day — NOT a protected slot)
Angostura Reservoir
15 in minimum, 4 / day (only one 20 in or longer); BOR plains reservoir on the Cheyenne River, Fall River County
Shadehill Reservoir
15 in minimum, 4 / day (only one 20 in or longer); plains reservoir on the Grand River, Perkins County
Reetz Lake
TROPHY (May 1 – Sept 30) — walleye or sauger daily limit 1, 28 in minimum; landowner permission Oct 1 – April 30 (Day County)

Official source

South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP) publishes the authoritative 2026 South Dakotafishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

The walleye rules on this page are sourced from South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP)'s official walleye regulation page.

Visit official South Dakota fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Walleye closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks's emergency-order feed — check it before any South Dakota trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is walleye season in South Dakota?: South Dakota keeps walleye open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
What is the South Dakota bag limit for walleye?: The South Dakota daily bag limit for walleye is 4 / day combined walleye + sauger + saugeye statewide (only one 20 in or longer; 8 possession); 15 in minimum on Lake Sharpe + Lake Francis Case (Sept 1 – June 30; no minimum July – August). The possession limit is 8 in possession statewide. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size walleye can you keep in South Dakota?: The South Dakota size rule for walleye is Statewide only one walleye 20 in or longer (no minimum length); 15 in min on Lake Sharpe + Lake Francis Case (Sept 1 – June 30) + the Missouri River below Fort Randall + Gavins Point dams — Lake Oahe + Lewis & Clark carry no minimum. Trophy rule: Lake Oahe + Lake Sharpe + Lake Francis Case trophy walleye complex; SD state-record walleye 16 lb 2 oz Lake Oahe 1991; SDGFP ~12 million walleye fry + fingerlings stocked annually statewide; Oahe + Sharpe + Francis Case + Lewis & Clark self-sustaining naturally-reproducing populations.
Do you need a license to fish for walleye in South Dakota?: Yes. South Dakota requires a valid fishing license to fish for walleye, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a South Dakota license — compare resident and non-resident South Dakota fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for walleye in South Dakota?: Yes. In South Dakota, walleye fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted (jigging + crank-bait crawling shoreline points most-effective spring tactic on the four-reservoir tier); Live minnow + nightcrawler bait permitted; Ice-fishing tip-ups + jiggers permitted during December – March season; SD Fishing Licence required for anglers 18+ ($31 res / $80 NR annual); Habitat Stamp ($10 res / $25 NR) also required at 18+; Confirm current-year SDGFP Fishing Regulations for trophy waters list.
Do specific South Dakota waters have different walleye rules?: Yes. 17 named South Dakota waters carry rules that override the statewide walleye regulation, including Lake Oahe, Lake Sharpe, Lake Francis Case, and 14 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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