Lake Madison Fishing in Lake County, South Dakota

• Overview

  Set in Lake County, South Dakota, this is Lake Madison. Elevation runs to 1,594 feet. It covers about 4.3 sq miles, which means weather matters as much as tactics. It is the biggest water on our Lake County list. You are 5.7 miles from Madison. Dell Rapids follows at 18 miles, then Baltic at 20 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lake Madison

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Lake County include common carp, white sucker, green sunfish, white bass and johnny darter. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. At Lake Madison the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 72°F, with January the cold end at about 13°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early April. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. That is the shape of the year on Lake Madison.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. A slipway is marked about half a mile from here. Mapping shows parking within half a mile. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. Walker's Point Recreation Area takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Long Lake is 1.9 miles off. Treat Lake Madison as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.