Carroll Lake, South Dakota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Carroll Lake is a Brule County water, South Dakota side. The country round it is lake country bush from end to end. The closest town, Platte, is 5.7 miles away. The nearest city of size is Sioux Falls, 103 miles away. Within a short drive: Lake Platte at 7.3 miles, Laffey Lake some 10 miles off, Smith Lake at 14 miles, Platte Lake some 14 miles off and Lake Geddes at 19 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Carroll Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Survey and observation records for Brule County include green sunfish, black bullhead and fathead minnow. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Read Carroll Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 75°F and January near 18°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late March. Averages place the thaw at late March and the freeze at early December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. The season on Carroll Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. If the gate is shut, Lake Platte at 7.3 miles is the nearest alternative. For Carroll Lake in particular, ask before you travel.