Fishing Waubay Lake in Day County, South Dakota

• Overview

  South Dakota holds Waubay Lake, in Day County. Elevation runs to 1,795 feet. This is big water, about 8.7 sq miles, and in a wind it behaves like a small sea. The shoreline runs to about 58 miles, far more than one trip can cover. On our Day County list it sits near the top for size. Webster sits 7.5 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Then Sisseton, 25 miles, and Britton, 31 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Waubay Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. County-wide records name common carp, black bullhead, green sunfish and Iowa darter. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Treat Waubay Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 71°F and January at 10°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. At Waubay Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Minnewasta Lake is 2.4 miles off. Treat access at Waubay Lake as something to verify.