The daily bag limit for trout in South Dakota is five fish. This includes any combination of brown, brook, rainbow, splake, lake trout, and salmon. Most of the trout species are restricted to a pocket on the western side of the state or in the Missouri River.

In this article, we will review the trout fishing regulations for South Dakota. We’ll especially go over rainbow and lake trout. Additionally, we will provide a trout fishing map for the state of South Dakota.

South Dakota Trout Fishing Regulations 2022

All anglers over the age of seventeen, whether resident or non-resident, must possess a valid South Dakota fishing license in order to fish for trout in state waters. The daily bag limit for trout is five fish with no length restrictions. There are however a few exceptions in specified waters for certain species. For more information, check out the official website.

Rainbow Trout

The daily bag limit for rainbow trout is five fish in combination with any other trout or salmon species. You can catch only one rainbow trout over fourteen inches in length in the streams of the Black Hills region. South Dakota will stock rainbow trout annually. They can be found in the Missouri River and all water bodies that lie west of it in South Dakota.

Lake Trout

The daily bag limit for lake trout is five fish in combination with any other trout or salmon species. In the fish management area for the Black Hills there are specific regulations. Only one harvested lake or splake trout may measure over twenty-four inches in length per day.

Lake trout are native to more northern waters. You can find lake trout in two different reservoirs (Deerfield and Pactola) and one lake (Oahe). These are located in the southwestern corner of South Dakota.

South Dakota Trout Fishing Map