KWAT’s Outdoor Report for week of September 27, 2021
Aberdeen Area
Fishing Report
Richmond Lake: Anglers have been catching perch, crappie, and white bass. Fishermen using a bobber and a plain hook baited with minnow have had the best luck.
Elm Lake: Anglers have been catching walleye, northern pike, crappie, and perch. Fishermen pulling plugs are catching keeper walleye. The south boat dock and handicap fishing pier have been pulled. The water level is too low to use these docks.
Mina Lake: Anglers have been catching perch.
Hunting Report
Goose Season: Early Goose closes September 30th; regular goose season 8 daily limit; white-fronted geese 3 daily limit; light goose daily limit of 50.
Mourning Dove: Most of the doves have migrated out of the area, due to the cooler weather last weekend.
Archery Deer Season: Is open for residents, eligible nonresidents cannot hunt public land until October 1st the deer appear to be moving around during the morning hours.
Duck Season: Duck hunters had their best luck while on the water this weekend. Teal, gadwall, pintail, and mallards were just some of the ducks shot in the area.
Clark County
Fishing Report
Dry 1: Water clarity has become good, which makes for a slow bite during the daytime.
Dry 2: Fishing pressure was high this past weekend. Anglers pulled out a few walleye, the perch bite has slowed down with the average 10 perch per 2-man boat.
Indian Springs: There has been minimal on walleye, perch were very slow on the bite.
Reid: Reports are coming out that the walleye bite is fair to pretty good.
Swan: Anglers seeing a few perch and walleye.
Hunting Report
Canada Goose: Geese are still around weather temps have not deterred many.
Duck Season: There was an abundance of duck hunters around for the opener; hunters had good shooting success in the morning but slowed a bit on the 2nd day.
Codington County
Fishing Report
Goose: Fishermen are primarily catching walleye from the boat, as the weeds make shore fishing difficult. The walleye continues to be 14 to 16 inches, with a few over 20 inches being caught as well.
Kampeska: Fishing has remained consistent over the past couple weeks. Fishermen pulling the center of the lake are finding a few walleye and perch, while other fishermen are still reporting a mixed bag of fish.
Pelican Lake: Little fishing pressure.
Blythe Slough: Little fishing pressure.
Long Lake: Little fishing pressure.
Dry Lake: Little fishing pressure.
Hunting Report
Mourning Doves: Doves have begun to move out of the area.
Canada Goose: Early goose will close soon, opening for fall goose
Archery Deer: Deer are still undercover; not much action.
Canada Goose: Hunters need to do some scouting, but the doves are still there.
Day County
Fishing Report
Waubay: Fishing pressure is still slow; anglers are having success picking up a few walleye with an occasional perch.
Bitter: Fishing has slowed down from the past few weeks.
North Rush: Walleye fishing has slowed; most anglers are having good success vertical jigging for perch.
Hunting Report
Duck Season: Opening day was a success- the following day was much slower.
Mourning Doves: Most of the doves have moved out of the area.
Archery Deer: Deer are starting to move around – now that temperatures are dropping.
Hamlin County
Fishing Report
Lake Poinsett: Fishing has continued to pick up throughout the week. Anglers who are having success are catching a mixed bag of walleye and perch. Anglers are having the best success during the early morning hours.
Three Buck: Steady pressure throughout the last week. Anglers who are out are having decent success catching walleye.
Lake Albert: Fishing pressure has been slow. An occasional walleye is being caught.
Clear Lake: Fishing has been slow. Little to no fishing pressure.
Hunting Report
Duck Season: Hunting pressure was high throughout last weekend during duck opener. Hunters were primarily focusing on the wetlands had excellent success. Many birds were harvested; some of the types were blue and green winged teal, mallards, gadwall, and wigeon. New birds are migrating in daily with the cooler nighttime temperatures.
Mourning Dove: Many of the doves have left the area with the recent cold temperatures.
Archery Deer: Deer activity has started to pick up. The recent cold mornings have had the deer up and moving around.
Marshall County
Fishing Report
South Buffalo Lake: Anglers found a few bluegill, walleye, and northern pike.
North Buffalo Lake: Little to no activity.
Piyas Lake: Good walleye bite, with a few perch mixed in, however the bit is starting to taper off.
Opitz Lake: Good on the walleye bite.
Cattail / Kettle Lake: Little to no activity.
Clear Lake: Little to no activity.
Roy Lake: Slow bite, but anglers found a few bass and northern pike.
Hunting Report
Canada Goose: Hunters had good luck finding birds however, the birds are hard to pattern with harvest starting.
Mourning Dove: Doves are bunching up and getting ready to start migrating south.
Duck Season: Hunter’s struggled a bit trying to find ducks; most of them are on the big water.
Archery Deer: Hunters are finding deer, although their movement is slow due to the warm weather.
Parks Report
Pelican Lake Recreation Area: The 3D targets are now up at the archery course! These are a different option to shoot and help get ready for this fall’s adventures! A park entrance license is required to shoot the archery range and course. These can be purchased at our new self-service kiosks at the entrance booth.
Hartford Beach State Park: Don’t forget to get ready for this fall’s hunting seasons at our new archery range and course! The range offers targets from 10 to 50 yards to get bows sighted in. We also have wood targets set up for anyone that wants to try axe throwing. The 28-target walking course winds through some of the parks wooded areas for different challenging shots. Hartford Beach also has miles of scenic trails, a disc golf course, and great picnic spots in the beach area!
Fort Sisseton: Haunted Fort – October 15 and 16 We will offer a Haunted Fort Weekend Package which will include two nights at one of the suites, four tickets to the Haunted Maze, and 20% off merchandise at either gift shops at Fort Sisseton or Roy Lake State Parks.
The cost of the package will be $280 for the weekend. This will save the visitor about $100.
Reservations will need to be made through the park, to give the discount and pay the Fort for the Haunted Maze tickets.
