In codington county, where should I fish right now

Question

FishGPT · Accepted Answer

Hey there, angler! In mid-fall, Codington County around Watertown is a solid bet for action on Lake Kampeska and Pelican Lake. Here’s the game plan for right now:

- **Best spots**: **Lake Kampeska** – focus on deep weed edges and points feeding into bays; target 8–20 ft with dawn or dusk bites. **Pelican Lake** – search humps and drop-offs near weed lines, especially on sunny afternoons when warmth concentrates fish into pockets.

- **Tactics by species**:
  - **Bass**: slow-rolled swimbaits and jigheads with soft plastics; try 2–4 inch swimbaits near weed edges; consider glide baits for bigger bites; drop-shot around structure if you find active fish.
  - **Walleye**: jigging with live minnows in 15–25 ft around channel edges during low light; use a slow, steady jig cadence.
  - If you just want quick action, a lipless crank or spinnerbait along weed lines can produce bites.

- **Lure ideas you can try today**:
  - Swimbaits: TRUSCEND Easy Catch Swimmax (amazon link): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GP1DL4K?tag=tacklenet-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1
  - Glide/bait options: Grin Works Glidbait: https://tackle.net/item/grin-works-glidbait
  - Explorer Gill Glide Bait: https://tackle.net/item/explorer-gill-glide-bait

- **Weather note (mid fall)**: cool mornings with daytime temps often in the 50s–60s; cold fronts can flip bites overnight. Wind from the west or southwest typically pushes bait toward east-facing pockets. Plan dawn and dusk sessions and dress in layers; frost is a possibility soon.

- **Pro tips**: start at Kampeska’s weedlines, then move to Pelican Lake’s drop-offs if the bite slows. If you can, swing by a local shop for up-to-date shoal pressure reports—local intel is gold this time of year.

You’ve got this—get out there, learn the water, and send me a pic of the first splash! 😄🐟

Bonus: for a quick fall-bass refresher, check this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rvzYTPzAVw

Good luck and tight lines!

🎣 Codington County, South Dakota

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