Red Lake Fishing in Brule County, South Dakota

• Overview

  The Brule County end of South Dakota holds Red Lake. Land around it is lake country bush. Around 7.6 sq miles of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. At about 13 miles of edge, most people work one arm at a time. It is the biggest water on our Brule County list. The closest town, Chamberlain, is 7.9 miles away. Fort Thompson follows at 26 miles, then Platte at 30 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Red Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Open biodiversity records for Brule County list green sunfish, black bullhead and fathead minnow. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Treat Red Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 74°F; the cold one sits at 17°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Look for the thaw near early April; the fishing lifts straight after. In an average year the thaw lands around early April and the freeze near early December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. The season on Red Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. 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. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Panzour Dam is 7.5 miles off. Ask locally about Red Lake if anything is unclear.