Fensterman Slough in Minnehaha County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Minnehaha County in South Dakota is where Fensterman Slough sits. It lies 1,594 feet above sea level. At about 158 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Shoreline length is close to 5.5 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. Nearest place of any size is Hartford, 5.7 miles away. Sioux Falls sits 14 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Fensterman Slough

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Minnehaha County include green sunfish, johnny darter and common carp. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Fensterman Slough a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 73°F for July and 14°F for January. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early April. The open-water window runs from around early April to about late November in an average year. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Fensterman Slough runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Grass Lake, 2.7 miles away. Rules at Fensterman Slough are worth checking on the day.