Goose Lake Fishing in Day County, South Dakota

• Overview

  This water sits in Day County, South Dakota. Elevation runs to 1,795 feet. At some 872 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. There is roughly 9.4 miles of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. 10 miles away sits Webster, the nearest town. For a city, Fargo is 103 miles off. Within easy reach: Lynn Lake 6.9 miles off, Opitz Lake roughly 7.8 miles, Waubay Lake 7.9 miles off, Dahling Slough roughly 10 miles and Minnewasta Lake 10 miles off. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Goose Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Public occurrence data for Day County names common carp, black bullhead and green sunfish. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Read Goose Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 10°F in January and 71°F in July. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. On Goose Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Lynn Lake, 6.9 miles away. For Goose Lake in particular, ask before you travel.