"Cast and Blast" in Yankton!

Hunting and fishing in South Dakota is more than just the thrill of the sport. While there’s fulfillment in challenging yourself and pride in providing for your family, it’s the unforgettable experience that keeps people coming back for more. Use our cast and blast guide to plan your next outdoor adventure.

Fishermen are lured to the Yankton area for the variety of options we have to offer. With three different bodies of water, all accessible from both boat and shore, anyone can take advantage of this relaxing, yet exciting, age-old tradition.

Time spent on the gorgeous Lewis and Clark Lake will find you reeling in walleye, pike, smallmouth bass and great catfish, all while taking in the amazing views of the golden chalkstone bluffs and rolling tree-filled hills. Sunrises and sunsets are especially magical times of day for both limits and views.

Venture west of the lake where it turns back into the Missouri National Recreational River and explore the dense river chutes for even more bites and some great sightseeing. Anglers choose to fish the river both above and below Lewis and Clark Lake depending on what they’re looking to catch. Most river areas can be accessed with a motorized boat and the more shallow, remote areas are perfect for kayaks and canoes.

Ice fishermen love to find bass and panfish in the shallows of Lake Yankton, located on the northeast side of Gavins Point Dam. This body of water is also perfect for families with young ones and folks new to kayaking as it provides a calm, unintimidating way to take your rod and reel for a relaxing spin.

The South Dakota Fishing Handbook can be referenced below. 

Fishing Seasons

2020 Paddle Fish Season:

Archery     

Online Application Dates: March 12 – April 17, 2020
Season Dates: June 1 – June 30, 2020

Snagging      

Online Application Dates: April 17 – May 15, 2020
Season Dates: October 1 – October 31, 2020

License Information

Fishing is permitted in South Dakota year-round. Limitations for the number and size of fish caught are set by the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Department.

• South Dakota Fishing Handbook

Licenses can be purchased at several local convenience stores, bait shops, sporting goods stores and park and recreation offices. Places to get hunting and fishing licenses in Yankton include:

• Captain Norm’s Bait Shop
• Dakota Archery & Outdoor Sports
• Hy-Vee
• TJ’s Mini Mart
• Wal-Mart

Hunting opportunities exist year-round in our neck of the woods. Southeastern South Dakota is rich with turkey, deer, geese and ducks to name a few. The Chinese Ring-necked Pheasant, SD’s state bird, thrives in our area’s habitat and offers longstanding traditions of group hunts with both residents and visitors alike.

For many, hunting means so much more than snagging some game. It means reconnecting with old friends to make new memories. It means getting away from the daily grind and experiencing the peacefulness and awe of nature. It means passing their years of hunting experience on to the next generation. After a good day’s hunt, folks gather around tables to share home-cooked meals, stories, and laughter. Hunting here fills the belly, sure, but most importantly, it fills the soul.

BONUS: Hunt with us and double your take-home. Since Yankton is located on the border of South Dakota and Nebraska, you can get a license in both states and fill your limit, making the trip really worth your while.  

The South Dakota Hunting and Trapping Handbook can be referenced below. 

Hunting Seasons

2020 Pheasant Season:

Pheasant Season: October 17, 2020 – January 3, 2021
Resident Only Season: October 10-12, 2020
Youth Pheasant Season: October 3-7, 2020

2020 Duck Season :

Low Plains South: October 24, 2020 – January 5, 2021
Youth Duck Season: September 19, 2020 – September 20, 2020

2020 Goose Season:

Canada Goose Unit 1: September 5 – December 20, 2020
Light Goose: September 26, 2020 – January 18, 2021
White-front Goose: September 26, 2020 – December 8, 2020
Canada Goose Unit 2: November 2, 2020 – February 15, 2021

Canada Goose Unit 3

Online Application: June 15, 2020 – July 10, 2020
Season Dates: January 11, 2020 – January 19, 2020

2020 Cottontail Rabbit Season:

Sep 1, 2019 – Feb 29, 2020

2020 Mourning Dove Season:

Sep 1, 2019 – Nov 9, 2019

2020 Coyote Season:

Jan 1, 202020 – Dec 31, 202020

License Information

For complete, up-to-date information on hunting in South Dakota, including license fees, please reference South Dakota Hunting and Trapping Handbook.

Guides and Outfitters

The locations and descriptions of fishing guides and hunting outfitters in the Yankton area are featured in the business listings below.

Riibe Outdoors

Your Expert Guide to Hunting and Fishing in Southeast South Dakota

Experience the wonder of nature in its purest form. Feel the discipline of the wait and then the overwhelming rush of the capture. Live up to the challenge of beating wild creatures in their own element.

​We live for these experiences and want to bring you along for the ride.

​

The Walleye Guys

Southeast South Dakota’s Premier Fishing Guides

The Missouri River is one of America’s most pristine and vibrant fisheries. It is our mission to give you the best experience possible. With the vast options of available waters from the Missouri River to the Glacial Lakes, our fishing opportunities are endless.

St. Hubert’s Hideaway

St. Hubert’s Hideaway offers a unique hunting experience for outdoor enthusiasts, but also some of the best scenery and privacy the midwest has to offer.  Watching the sunrise with a cup of coffee or watching the sunset by the fire pit may be the best part of your stay.

Main uses: Hunting & Fishing Adventures, Faith Retreats, Hobby Retreats, Reunions, Fund Raising, and Weddings

A1Als Pheasant Ranch 

A1 Al’s Pheasant Ranch offers premier all-inclusive pheasant hunts along with one of South Dakota’s most impressive lodges.

With over 6000 acres of prime pheasant hunting habitat, A1 Al’s Pheasant Ranch is dedicated to providing you the best pheasant hunting South Dakota has to offer.

Potters Field Outfitters and Lodge

Potter’s Fields Outfitters & Lodge offers some of the greatest pheasant hunting in the state of South Dakota.  Located conveniently 35 miles West of Sioux Falls and 30 miles East of Mitchell we are in a phenomenal sleeper area away from heavily commercialized hunting areas in the state.  What does that mean for you?  Birds.  A lot of birds.

Xmen Extreme Waterfowl Hunting

Along with great hunts, we provide guests with the best equipment, lodging, and accommodations possible. You can be assured that when hunting with the X-men you will have more than just a hunting trip, you will have an unforgettable experience.

Red Arrow Bowfishing

Let Red Arrow Bowfishing take you on the trip of a lifetime!

Cogan House Dakota Custom Hunt

On a beautiful bluff high above the Missouri River near Springfield, SD, the Cogan House sits in a quiet retreat. This serene home-away-from-home welcomes travelers, couples, families, business leaders, hunters, and fisherman.

Cimpl Made Hunts

Located just 10 miles from the Missouri River in southern South Dakota, Cimpl Made Hunts allows hunters to experience the best nature has to offer. Your hunting experience will take you 5 miles east and 13 miles south of Wagner, SD, about 50 miles west of Yankton, SD. The area boasts an abundance of wild game including pheasants, grouse, prairie chicken, coyotes, deer, turkeys, ducks, geese, partridge, and some quail.  Specializing in guided pheasant hunts, Cimpl Made Hunts offers flexible and affordable hunting packages for pheasant, turkey and waterfowl.

Processing and Taxidermy

Yankton has options for processing your game and fish including:

• Dakota Archery & Outdoor Sports
• Kleinschmit Locker
• Coyle Taxidermy
• Two Rivers Taxidermy
• 605_Wild Taxidermy and Studio
• Scotland Locker
• Dicks Country Butcher Shop
• Avon Locker

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