See every public fishing venue in South Dakota on the map, with boat ramps, camping, parking and full rules for each one.
Lake Francis Case is a public lake in Charles Mix County, Gregory County, Lyman County, Brule County and Buffalo County, South Dakota, managed by South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks. It is public water managed for fishing by the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks. Public access confirmed via marquee water.
Lake Francis Case, behind Fort Randall Dam — walleye, white bass and smallmouth bass, plus trophy channel and blue catfish in the lower reaches near Pickstown.
Lake Francis Case covers about 82,167 acres in the Southeast South Dakota region. Anglers here mostly fish for walleye, sauger, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass; white bass, northern pike, chinook salmon, channel catfish are also on record. The nearest other mapped waters on PiscaMaps are Nicholas Creek and Landing Creek.
Species from PiscaMaps water-type profiles, GFP trout designations and hand research.
Night fishing: No statewide night-fishing closure in South Dakota. Snagging, gigging, bowfishing and setlines for carp, gar, buffalo and catfish are legal on most waters with their own seasons and gear rules; the four Missouri River reservoirs have specific paddlefish-snagging seasons.
Boats: The Missouri River reservoirs (Oahe, Sharpe, Francis Case, Lewis and Clark) have no horsepower limit and take full-size boats; many Black Hills and Glacial Lakes lakes are smaller with posted no-wake zones near shore. South Dakota requires boater education for operators born after 1 Jan 1993.
Bank & bivvy camping: Camp at the Corps recreation areas around the Missouri River reservoirs, GFP state recreation areas at the Black Hills and Glacial Lakes, and Custer/Black Hills National Forest campgrounds. A separate GFP park entrance licence applies at state recreation areas.
Tackle: Statewide walleye/sauger limit is usually 4 in combination (some Missouri River reservoirs carry a slot limit); smallmouth/largemouth bass 5; northern pike 4; trout (Black Hills) 5; catfish and panfish generous. Check the current GFP fishing handbook for this water.
Boat ramps: 19 mapped — Boat ramp, Boat ramp, Boat ramp, Boat ramp, Boat ramp, Boat ramp and others nearby.
Camping: 3 sites mapped nearby — Right Tailrace - COE, Dude Rach DFG, Old Fort Thompson - COE.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors.
Anyone 16 or older needs a South Dakota fishing licence — the resident annual is about $28, the non-resident annual about $73, with non-resident 1-day (~$16) and 3-day licences also sold. No separate trout stamp is required — the standard licence covers Black Hills trout water. South Dakota residents 65 and older can buy a discounted senior combination licence, and anyone under 16 fishes free with a licensed adult. Buy from GFP at gfp.sd.gov. A South Dakota fishing licence covers this federal or state-owned reservoir.
Every water carries species, bank & boat access, current regulations and live water conditions — and members get Swim Mapper, Catch Logger and Trip Planner. It's the only US map with a dedicated carp-water layer.
Open the South Dakota map Start your free trial