Fishing Report For Lake DeSmet, WY

Current Report: Good

Lake DeSmet is full of big walleye, and they continue to be a major draw for anglers!

FALL. Late Fall brought colder water temperatures to the shallows, driving walleye and baitfish back toward deeper haunts. Locals report catching nice walleye on long points, flats along the river and creek channels, and structure off shore. Jigs, swimbaits, spoons, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits are all historically good for catching walleye this time of year. Good reports are coming from mid-lake points in the Monument Point area, as well as along the northwest and northern shores. Early and late in the day finds them in 15 to 30 feet of water, mid day they hold 20 to 50 feet deep. Dragging jigs, bottom bouncers, or worm harnesses with nightcrawlers or leeches, around ledge drop-offs is catching walleye fairly consistently. Watch for the bigger walleye to be slightly deeper than the majority of the school.

WINTER. This Winter, fishing for walleye has been pretty good through the ice, as it has been for the last few years. Before, during and after the ice, anglers report catching them in the main basin area, in 15 to 60 feet of water, along deep creek channel edges, rocky humps and ledges. Steep drops in the area toward the dam are also producing during these cold months. They primarily feed on small fish, staying close to the bottom. Blade baits, jigs, swimbaits, spoons, deep-diving crankbaits, and worm harness spinners, all work while casting, deep trolling or drifting.

SPRING. Ice-out is in progress, and both the walleye and anglers are heading to shallow flats in the 15 to 20 feet range. Early Spring brings warming water in the shallows, and draws walleye here to feed, especially rocky areas and inlet channels. In Spring work points, drop offs, submerged structure, rock ledges, flats and flats adjacent to deeper water. Good choices include bays and flats the upper reaches of the north end of the lake. Here, in 5 to 15 feet deep, they will spawn once the water warms to the mid to high 40's. When they move shallow, bright colored jigs, tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers typically catch them. Spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and crankbaits are also working when walleye are up shallow. Afterwards, they move to 10 to 30 feet deep around creek inlets, shallow rock reefs, windblown rocky points and flats, shoals and ledges, nearby shore. They often stay in close proximity to their spawning locations. Main lake drop offs are producing nice fish.

SUMMER. Water temperatures rise in Summer, and walleye fishing is good if you can get your bait deep enough. Early in the day, and again at dusk, walleye tend to concentrate in 30 to 40 feet of water. Throughout Summer, early in the morning, and from dusk to long after dark are good times to catch walleye. At those times they move slightly shallower to feed in low-light conditions. Night fishing is often good in Summer, as well. The rest of the time they are cruising flats and creek channel edges, 40 to 80 feet deep , preferring the cooler temperatures. When the bite is slow, grubs and nightcrawlers, fished just off the bottom typically catch walleye.

Current Report: Good

Lake trout spend the majority of their lifetime in deep water, moving up only to feed. Reports by anglers here indicate trolling is the best way to find and catch these big trout.

FALL. Lake trout are returning to relatively deep water, as late Fall weather cools the lake. They spawned in early Fall, and for a few weeks were typically found 30 to 70 feet deep on mid-lake points on the northwest and northern shores, in areas that have a rocky bottom. Lake trout feed on small fish, so lures imitating baitfish, sunfish, perch or small trout are good choices. Cloudy days, early mornings and early evenings are the best time to catch big lakers. Now, as late Fall is upon us, they return to 60 to 70 feet deep, or deeper. Spoons, jigged vertically within the target depth can entice bites. Trolling in the depths around 40' to 60' is a good place to start. Spinners, flatfish and crankbaits, trolled behind a dodger is working well. Lake trout feed on small fish, so lures imitating baitfish, yellow perch or small trout are good choices. For big lakers, use larger baits.

WINTER. Favoring water temperatures in the 40's, lake trout find areas to their liking in 40 to 80 feet of water, and tend to stay there throughout the cold months. Learning these areas before the lake ices over can get provide better area for ice fishing spots. Patient anglers willing to work slowly are catching some nice lake limits through the ice. After ice out, trolling with leaded line or downriggers, or vertical jigging with spoons and jigs, completes the cold-water season in 50 feet of water, or deeper.

SPRING. Prime laker fishing season is during Spring. Spring weather finds lake trout, along with baitfish, into 25 to 50 feet of water. Early Spring is a prime time to catch big lakers. Lakers are caught in areas of the lake which have deep water next to shallower, feeding spots. Jigs and heavy spoons are catching the majority of these big lakers. Slow trolling with leaded line or downriggers allows small crankbaits and spinners to be worked in deeper water, which also produces some nice fish. Later in Spring they typically drop into 40 to 70 feet of water.

SUMMER. Summer heat drives lake trout deeper, generally below the thermocline in 40 to 80 feet deep. Early and late in the day, lakers may feed shallow. Generally, lake trout prefer to stay deep, below the thermocline, throughout Summer. They look for depth variations like ditches, channels, humps and ledges, but are being caught in the deeper water around this structure. Heavy spoons and jigs, as well as very slow trolling, with leaded line or downriggers, produce many of the lakers being caught during Summer. In late summer concentrate on channel edges, troughs, and main lake humps.

Current Report: Fair

After a significant stocking in 2019, kokanee have been showing up in good numbers in Lake DeSmet. Downriggers or leaded line are the two primary methods for catching kokanee here, while trolling. Kokanee school up and hang out over deep water, usually above some type of structure. Worm harnesses and wedding ring spinner setups are popular when trolled behind a 4" dodger. Locals are tipping these baits with shoepeg white corn, PowerBait, Z-Man Scented ShrimpZ, or live nightcrawlers to helps attract bites.

FALL. In early Fall, kokanee migrated into spawning grounds, along the shoreline of the lake, or upstream in rivers and tributaries. In the weeks just prior to the spawn, they gathered in sizeable schools near the mouths of these inflows. The spawn typically occurs in mid to late September. Kokanee fishing is good from 20 to 35 feet deep. Casting or trolling spinners, spoons, or kokanee rigs works well during the spawn. Now that late Fall has arrived, these schools have moved out to deeper structure in the basin. They are now being caught in 40 to 60 feet of water, often suspending above the structure.

WINTER. When ice fishing in Winter, kokanee are typically caught from 30 to 60 deep. On occasion they move deeper. Ice jigs, spoons, PowerBait, ShrimpZ, shoepeg corn and maggots are popular ice fishing baits here.

SPRING. During late Spring kokanee typically move closer to the surface where phytoplankton blooms become more abundant, providing a rich food source. Kokanee will feed heavily on this plankton in 20 to 30 feet of water, until surface temperatures reach the high 50's. Kokanee stage shallower, in tributary mouths, upper river arms, and warmer, food-rich pockets as they begin to move toward spawning reaches. Popular areas include bays and flats in the upper reaches of the north end of the lake. Casting or trolling spinners, spoons, or kokanee rigs works well during this period. Later in Spring they migrate into 30 to 60 feet of water.

SUMMER. Downriggers or leaded line are the two primary methods for catching kokanee here, while trolling. Kokanee school up and hang out in 30 to 60 feet deep, over deeper water, usually above some form of structure. The ideal water temperature is mid to low 50's. Identify the depth for that temperature range, and the kokanee will be hanging out in that depth range. Worm harnesses and wedding ring spinner setups are popular when trolled behind a 4" dodger. Locals are tipping these baits with shoepeg white corn, PowerBait, Z-Man Scented ShrimpZ, or live nightcrawlers to helps attract bites. 35 to 45 feet deep is the ideal depth to work in these warmer months. Trolling these baits between 1.2 mph and 1.8 mph is a good speed for these kokes. PowerBait, Z-Man Scented ShrimpZ and scented shoepeg corn, spoons and kokanee spinner rigs all work well for slow drifting, or trolling.