What is the deepest lake in South Dakota?

Of the lakes with a published depth, Lake Oahe is the deepest at about 205 ft.

Deepest lakes in South Dakota: 10 lakes ranked by depth

Which lakes in South Dakota go deepest? These 10 have a published maximum depth, from Lake Oahe at about 205 ft down.

Deepest first

#	Lake	Deepest	Size
1	Lake Oahe	about 205 ft	370,000 acres
2	Lake Sharpe	about 78 ft	56,900 acres
3	Angostura Reservoir	about 75 ft	4,410 acres
4	Shadehill Reservoir	about 62 ft	4,690 acres
5	Belle Fourche Reservoir	about 60 ft	8,000 acres
6	Lewis and Clark Lake	about 45 ft	31,400 acres
7	Waubay Lake	about 31 ft	15,500 acres
8	Enemy Swim Lake	about 27 ft	about 1,960 acres
9	Lake Thompson	about 26 ft	16,200 acres
10	Lake Kampeska	about 16 ft	5,250 acres

1. Lake Oahe

At 370,000 acres of water, Lake Oahe is a huge piece of water. Walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass and catfish are the draw. At about 205 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. On the 3-D map the bed has two sheltered coves and two point drop-offs: good places to start.

Lake Oahe today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

2. Lake Sharpe

At 56,900 acres, Lake Sharpe is a huge piece of water. The lake is next to Fort Pierre. Walleye, smallmouth bass, catfish and northern pike are the draw. At about 78 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. Lake Sharpe is a Missouri River reservoir behind Big Bend Dam, with walleye as its primary gamefish.

Lake Sharpe today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

3. Angostura Reservoir

At 4,410 acres of water, Angostura Reservoir is a good-sized lake. You will find it about 6.4 miles north of Hot Springs. Walleye, northern pike and smallmouth bass are the draw. The deepest water is around 75 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Angostura Reservoir impounds the Cheyenne River in the southern Black Hills of Fall River County.

Angostura Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

4. Shadehill Reservoir

Shadehill Reservoir is a reservoir of 4,690 acres. It lies near Lemmon. It is the Grand River behind Shadehill Dam. It holds walleye, smallmouth bass, catfish and yellow perch. At about 62 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Shadehill Reservoir was built in 1951 by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on the Grand River in Perkins County.

Shadehill Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

5. Belle Fourche Reservoir

At some 8,000 acres, Belle Fourche Reservoir is a good-sized lake. You will find it near Belle Fourche. It is the Owl Creek behind Belle Fourche Dam (Orman Dam). The fish here are walleye, catfish and white bass. The deepest water is around 60 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Belle Fourche Reservoir, held back by the Belle Fourche (Orman) Dam, stores irrigation water for the Belle Fourche Irrigation District.

Belle Fourche Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

6. Lewis and Clark Lake

Lewis and Clark Lake is a reservoir of 31,400 acres of water. It lies near Springfield. The fish here are walleye, northern pike, yellow perch and catfish. The deepest water is around 45 ft. Lewis and Clark Lake, formed by Gavins Point Dam on the Missouri River, straddles the South Dakota-Nebraska border and is known for fall paddlefish snagging.

Lewis and Clark Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

7. Waubay Lake

Waubay Lake spreads over 15,500 acres of water. You will find it near Webster. Northern pike, walleye, smallmouth bass and yellow perch are the draw. It goes down to about 31 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Waubay Lake is a natural glacial lake in northeastern South Dakota managed predominantly as a walleye and yellow perch fishery.

Waubay Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

8. Enemy Swim Lake

Enemy Swim Lake covers about 1,960 acres. The lake is about 13 miles southwest of Webster. Walleye, northern pike, largemouth bass and crappie are the draw. It goes down to about 27 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and an upper arm: good places to start. Enemy Swim Lake is a glacial lake in Day County where shallow vegetated zones hold bass and bluegill while deeper water holds walleye and pike.

Enemy Swim Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

9. Lake Thompson

At 16,200 acres of water, Lake Thompson is a big lake. It lies about 56 miles southeast of Sioux Falls. Expect walleye, northern pike and yellow perch. The deepest water is around 26 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has four steep ledges: good places to start. Lake Thompson, one of South Dakota's largest natural lakes, dried up completely during the 1930s drought before refilling.

Lake Thompson today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

10. Lake Kampeska

Lake Kampeska spreads over 5,250 acres of water. You will find it about 3.5 miles east of Watertown. The fish here are walleye, smallmouth bass, crappie and bluegill. It goes down to about 16 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and an upper arm: good places to start. Lake Kampeska is a glacial lake near Watertown managed primarily as a walleye and smallmouth bass fishery.

Lake Kampeska today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

Fishing deep water

In summer a deep lake splits into a warm top layer and a cold bottom; fish hold near the line between them, often 20 to 40 ft down. A depth finder, a slow troll or a jig dropped straight down finds them.