MITCHELL, S.D. -- Non-residents should stay off the Missouri River in the springtime in South Dakota.
That's the hope one man is bringing to the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Commission during its regular meeting Thursday, which will be held via teleconference due to COVID-19.
Andrew Rick, of Hartford, S.D., is petitioning for a rule change to close portions of the Missouri River to nonresident anglers for the first four months of the calendar year. The GF&P commission begins at 1 p.m.
South Dakota has an open walleye fishing season, meaning there are no restrictions on when anglers can fish for the coveted species. Meanwhile, Minnesota's walleye season begins in late-May. Each year, the Missouri River in South Dakota attracts several nonresidents from Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska for anglers to chase the spring walleye bite.
In his petition to the commissioners, Rick is asking the commissioners to create a nonresident walleye/sauger fishing season that runs May 1 to Dec. 31 on the Missouri River from the Fort Randall Dam to the Spillway LUA boat ramp, Lake Francis Case from the Big Bend Dam through the point 2 miles downstream, and Lake Sharpe from Oahe Dam to the Highway 14 Bridge.
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"The large amount of pressure reduces the quality of angling experience for resident anglers," he wrote. "This change would allow for residents to have these areas exclusively to themselves, leaving for a much better angling experience. Leaving the other areas of the lakes and river open would still let nonresident anglers come fish."
Members of the public are invited to watch the meeting on Zoom. The meeting ID is 948-3276-4870 with a password of 782275.
If you would prefer to call in, dial 1-669-900-9128 and enter the meeting ID 948-3276-4870. The open forum for the meeting begins at 2 p.m. as there is no public hearing for this meeting.
