Fishing at Lehrman Slough, McCook County, South Dakota

• Overview

  In South Dakota, Lehrman Slough falls inside McCook County. Elevation runs to 1,371 feet. At about 177 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The bank runs about 2.0 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. It is a small entry by McCook County standards. Head to Salem, 10 miles away, for anything you forgot. Further out sit Mitchell (23 miles) and Freeman (23 miles). A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Lehrman Slough

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for McCook County cover black bullhead, green sunfish, orangespotted sunfish and rudd. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. At Lehrman Slough the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 14°F to 74°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early April. The water is typically free of ice between early April and early December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Plan any trip to Lehrman Slough around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. For a change of water, Gross Lake is 3.9 miles distant. None of that is settled for Lehrman Slough in what we hold.