Fishing Smith Lake in Brule County, South Dakota

• Overview

  The Brule County end of South Dakota holds Smith Lake. Country round the bank runs to lake country bush. Nearest town is Platte, 14 miles off. Chamberlain lies 24 miles off, Gregory another 30 miles. Also worth knowing: 8.7 miles out stands Panzour Dam, Lake Platte 13 miles off, 14 miles out stands Carroll Lake Sixteen 14 miles off and 15 miles out stands Platte Lake. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Smith Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Brule County include green sunfish, black bullhead and fathead minnow. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Smith Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 74°F at the top of summer and 18°F at the bottom of winter. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late March. On average, late March opens the water and early December closes it again. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. The season on Smith Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Mapping puts a reserve boundary across this water; check what it allows. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Panzour Dam, 8.7 miles out. Signs at Smith Lake carry more weight than any list.