2026 regulation year
New Wall Dam 2026 — South Dakota Fishing Regulations
South Dakota statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
New Wall Dam carries 2 special-regulation overlays on top of South Dakota's 2026 fishing rules — covering Smallmouth bass. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
Largemouth + smallmouth bass 14–18 in protected slot — keep only bass under 14 in or 18 in and longer, no more than one 18 in or longer; 5 / day combined; a prairie stock-dam reservoir in Pennington County near Wall (western SD)
Source: South Dakota special-water list
Per-species rules on New Wall Dam
14–18 in protected slot — keep only bass under 14 in or 18 in and longer (one over 18 in), 5 / day combined; Pennington County prairie stock-dam
Official source
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP) publishes the authoritative 2026 South Dakota fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official South Dakota fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven 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.
Other special-regulation waters in South Dakota
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at New Wall Dam?
- New Wall Dam carries 2 special-regulation overlays that override South Dakota's statewide 2026 rules, covering Smallmouth bass. One of them reads: "Largemouth + smallmouth bass 14–18 in protected slot — keep only bass under 14 in or 18 in and longer, no more than one 18 in or longer; 5 / day combined; a prairie stock-dam reservoir in Pennington County near Wall (western SD)." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish New Wall Dam?
- Yes. New Wall Dam is in South Dakota, so a valid South Dakota fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for New Wall Dam; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide South Dakota rules.
- Do New Wall Dam's special rules replace South Dakota's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. South Dakota's statewide 2026 regulations apply on New Wall Dam by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
- Which species have special rules on New Wall Dam?
- Smallmouth bass has a water-body-specific rule on New Wall Dam, each linking to its full South Dakota regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide South Dakota limits.