Clark County fishing reports by Prairiestorm Outfitters

[Prairiestorm]

Hi, My name is Derek Garner of Prairiestorm Outfitters. My Partners and I recently opened a Bait shop in Willow Lake South Dakota Located right on Dry Lake #2 called Backroads Bait and Tackle. we will offer Plowed roads and sleeper shacks and fully guided fishing trips in the Clark county area and of course all your bait and tackle needs. While we spend time on the water we would like to inform you guys on the info and tackle you need to have a successful trip. Our hours in Willow Lake Sd are 6 am to 8 pm.

Dry Lake # 2 has been producing some jumbo perch, nice walleyes and nice pike. the perch and walleye bight has been the best off of the willow lake road county rd 47. This is also the easiest access to the fish. we were fishing in 13 ft of water and jigging rattling spoons for the daytime walleyes and small tungston jigs for the perch tipped with wax worms. anything that glows or rattles has been producing fish. Stop into Backroads Bait and Tackle in Willow Lake for more info on nearby ponds and lakes!

www.prairiestormoutfitters.com

The storm is coming!

SD fishing guides and hunting outfitters

We offer a full service package Corporate as well.

Call: (507) 363-1856

[email protected]

[PKretsch20]

Will you keep us updated on the ice conditions as this warm weather comes though. Looking to spend the day on Dry on Sunday. Can you currently drive a car out on the lake? Or is the landing not good? Thanks

[Prairiestorm]

The ice is still good and going to start freezing again sunday evening. The ice is currently 13 inches with water on top of the ice. people are still driving small vehicles and atvs. I would not advise driving vehicles on the ice due to visibility. it is hard to see and read the ice with the water puddles on top of the water. The Perch are still biting they are just more scattered on the different bodies of water and the walleye bite is still hot in the morning and evening hours with occasional fish through out the night. i would suspect that the fish will really fire up on sunday with the low pressure coming in. happy fishing.

we still have sleeper and day shacks available in the lake thompson and clark county area.

[reddog]

Derek,

Only been to WL once, and drooled over that piece of real estate you guys bought.

A friend of mine told me he met a young guy named Derek last weekend up there when they checked in. He told me about your tree stand fall.

What an incredible story! Have you shared this anywhere where it is available to the public to read online?

Gave me shivers, just hearing it second hand. God is good!

Feel free to PM me..

[Prairiestorm]

Hey there. I have not shared my story to many people besides the people i encounter in the hunting and fishing industry. I am thinking about making a video about tree stand safety and just to share my accident so others can learn from it. A guy never thinks it will happen to him until you are laying on the ground fighting for your life. 25 feet has never seemed so high until the day i thought was my last. I am a Lineman and have traveled the midwest climbing towers and poles over 210 feet tall. I also live my life to hunt and fish and hunting out of a deer stand was a daily routine and a way of life. God has been good giving me another chance to live and make a 100% recovery within a year. if you are interested in the whole story Like my facebook page prairiestorm outfitters and i will hopefully have a video out within the next year.

on the other note the ice has shaped up awesome and people are pulling out wheel houses with atv and utvs. The fishing has been good in the are as well. stop into Backroads Bait and Tackle in willow lake for your up to date clark county fishing reports or feel free to give me a call!

507 363 1856 Derek Garner

[reddog]

Derek,

I will stop in if I get up that way. Typically, Im at the river in the boat during the winter..

Your story needs to be told, but to tell you the truth, its so good, that you need to do it right the first time... Good luck with your video production. I am anxiously awaiting it. Good luck in your business venture also. Ill definitely stop in if I get up that way.

I would like to see the building also..

I will add your Facebook page also.

[prov1900]

Thanks for the reports Derek! Sounds like you guys have a first class operation.

[SpitnArgueDuckClub*]

Anyone have any updates on the area bite?

[Prairiestorm]

The area bite has been slow until the day after christmas. the guys have been doing good in our sleeper shacks on dry lake # 2 and some other bodies of water in the willow lake area. I guided some guys in 14 fow on the 27th and 28th and had great luck on the jumbos and some walleyes during the higher pressure. have been marking lots of fish throughout the day. waiting for the pressure to drop to really fire them up. despite the frigid temps and high pressure we iced some fish of a lifetime. we ended up with plenty of 13'' perch and a 14incher and a 14.5 incher and a giant 15incher came from one of my groups that was fishing with us. for more detailed info stop into our bait shop in willow lake sd and we will get you headed in the right direction!

[carpshooterdeluxe]

you guys need to figure out the staffing situation so somebody is in the store instead of a sign saying "back at 11." we watched 12-15 trucks roll through when you were closed yesterday morning. Missed business!

[Prairiestorm]

Thanks for the advice, I was in a traumatic accident this fall and am doing my best with the situation I am in. I had to leave for an hour to run customers out to our sleeper shacks and had to help another gentleman start his diesel pickup on the lake in the frigid temps . I waited until 11 because there isn't usually 15 trucks that stop in at 11. It was also a very cold slow day. We are also working on getting our staff trained in. We have lots of improvements to make but doing pretty well for getting out of the hospital 2 months ago and only being open 3 weeks. I apologize for the inconvenience and hope to have everyone trained in so someone can be there at noon if an emergency arrives. We are open 6 am until 8 pm on the weekends and 6 am till 5 pm Monday through Thursday. Thank you.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

Didn't bother me much that you guys weren't open yet; I understand the constraints of getting a new business location up and running. I think you guys will do just fine up there.

[Brittnypointer20]

What's the latest report for walleyes and perch in the area?

[PKretsch20]

Is there any issues with driving pickups on Dry 2 or anywhere in the Clark area?

[carpshooterdeluxe]

A heave on Dry by Willow, out from the Vienna road. Trucks all over dry, dry 2, indian/antelope.

[handsonguy]

Any advise/reports for a group of 1st timers on Dry? We will be going out Friday and staying the weekend. Some of us are going to try to get out there early enough to get set up in the light. We'll be swining into the bait shop beforehand as well. We'll be setting up camp in a couple of ice castles then exploring during the day if weather permits. Trying to get an idea where to set the houses for a chance to catch something overnight. Also open to any advise for Indian springs. Thanks

[arcticm1000]

handsonguy, How did you guys do? Which lakes did you try? We are thinking about heading out in a couple weeks. PM me if you would rather. Thanks in advance.

[handsonguy]

We did terrible...We were on Dry#2. We got there in the dark and set up on Friday night..had a couple bites during the night but didn't ice any. We had a guy that fishes it pretty much every weekend show us some starting points. He was in a snow-bear and was able to move around and picked up some fish. We were in pretty shallow water..could see fish swim under the hole but they weren't interested in biting. Sounded like they turned off with the cold front. We only ended up icing 2 walleyes and 2 big pike between 8 of us.

[arcticm1000]

Thanks for putting up a report. Sorry to hear the fishing wasn’t better.

[Rick]

I hear the fishing is really good now?