Waubay Lake fishing

Fishing at Waubay Lake is on a natural lake, stocked with Walleye. It is stocked about 1.5 times a year since 2012, most often in May and June. Species guides list dawn, dusk, and night as the active times.

Last stocked

May 7, 2025

Plants on record

21

Since 2012

Species recorded

1

Surface acres

15,540

Elevation

1,787 ft

Access and facts

Water type
natural lake
Nearest town
Grenville

A natural lake formed when four smaller lakes, North Waubay, South Waubay, Spring Lake and Hillebrands, merged as water levels rose in the late 1990s. Primarily a walleye and yellow perch fishery, with ten documented fish species. Sits southeast of Grenville.

Sources: water_type , shore_notes , nearest_town , fishing_notes

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How Waubay Lake is stocked

The first plant of the year usually falls in the second week of May. In 2025 it was May 7, 2025, about when it usually is.

No plants recorded in 2013, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024.

About 4,023 reported fish per acre, the most of 4 lakes in Day County with both a fish count and a surface area.

Enemy Swim Lake (6.8 mi), Pickerel Lake (9.2 mi), and Lake Kampeska (34.5 mi) were stocked more recently. Enemy Swim Lake is also stocked with Walleye, Pickerel Lake is also stocked with Walleye, and Lake Kampeska is also stocked with Walleye.

Fish at Waubay Lake

Fishing Waubay Lake is most likely to be for Walleye. All 21 plants on record are Walleye.

Walleye 21 plants
Plants
21 of 21
Last stocked
May 7, 2025

Seasons and rigs are on the Walleye guide.

Fishing Waubay Lake

Waubay Lake is predominantly a fishery for walleye and yellow perch. The lake has a variety of fish species, including northern pike, smallmouth bass, black bullhead, white bass, common carp, rock bass, black crappie, and lake herring.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Fish stocked per year

  • 8,000,0002012
  • 5,500,0002014
  • 8,500,0002016
  • 8,000,0002017
  • 4,000,0002019
  • 12,714,5802021
  • 8,000,0002023
  • 7,800,0002025

Stocking history

Showing 15 of 21 plants Showing 21 plants

Source: South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP).
Date Species Quantity Avg. length Source
May 7, 2025 Walleye 7,800,000 – report
May 21, 2023 Walleye 1,500,000 – report
May 19, 2023 Walleye 6,500,000 – report
June 14, 2021 Walleye 124,700 – report
June 14, 2021 Walleye 46,760 – report
June 14, 2021 Walleye 43,120 – report
May 18, 2021 Walleye 4,500,000 – report
May 15, 2021 Walleye 3,000,000 – report
May 14, 2021 Walleye 5,000,000 – report
May 12, 2019 Walleye 4,000,000 – report
May 7, 2017 Walleye 3,500,000 – report
May 6, 2017 Walleye 4,500,000 – report
May 12, 2016 Walleye 4,000,000 – report
May 11, 2016 Walleye 4,500,000 – report
May 14, 2014 Walleye 1,000,000 – report
May 14, 2014 Walleye 1,500,000 – report
May 13, 2014 Walleye 3,000,000 – report
May 15, 2012 Walleye 1,500,000 – report
May 14, 2012 Walleye 3,000,000 – report
May 11, 2012 Walleye 1,500,000 – report
May 5, 2012 Walleye 2,000,000 – report
Show 6 more plants Show less

Species stocked here

Depth-by-season, top lures, and bait notes for each species stocked here are on its own species guide, linked above.

Nearest lakes