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Sharpe: Pulsing Big Bend water — white bass & walleye midweek
Monday Sep 21 – Thursday Sep 24, 2026 · Lake Sharpe (Big Bend Dam) · bank, kayak & boat · Monday morning through Thursday evening focus · times CT
Big Bend sitting on multipurpose pool with active releases — current edges and white-bass schools lead.
Midweek outlook
**NWS** pin forecast for Lake Sharpe (pulled Sun Sep 20 ~8:45–8:55 PM CT). Monday reads **Rain Showers** (~59°F); Thursday trends **Slight Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny** (~74°F). All clock times **CT**.
Barometer: KPIR baro ~30.13 in, air ~57°F at pull. Clarity unconfirmed — do not invent stain.
Mon–Thuthrough Thu evening CT
white basslocalized — not bass-by-default
Weekday recreational soft Mon–Thu after residual weekend traffic Monday. No named trail event pulled for this window on this water — re-check local clubs before launch.
Monday
- High ~59°F / night ~46°F **CT** · 12 mph E · PoP ~76%
- Rain Showers
- Primary **white bass**: fish weather pauses and forage edges — not a bass-by-default week.
Tuesday
- High ~63°F / night ~50°F **CT** · 7 to 17 mph SE · PoP ~2%
- Partly Sunny
- Primary **white bass**: fish weather pauses and forage edges — not a bass-by-default week.
Wednesday
- High ~68°F / night ~54°F **CT** · 18 to 22 mph SSE · PoP ~31%
- Chance Rain Showers
- Primary **white bass**: fish weather pauses and forage edges — not a bass-by-default week.
Thursday
- High ~74°F / night ~54°F **CT** · 9 to 14 mph SSE · PoP ~16%
- Slight Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny
- Primary **white bass**: fish weather pauses and forage edges — not a bass-by-default week.
Verify local CT sunrise/sunset at pin (~7:05–7:10 AM CT class Monday Pierre/Watertown corridor). All Cast times CT.
Generator / pool cheat sheet
Live **USACE Missouri River Basin Water Management** board pulled **2026-09-20 ~8:13 PM CT** (https://www.nwd-mr.usace.army.mil/rcc/reports/pdfs/MRBWM_Reservoir.pdf). Sunday elev/inflow/release only — **Mon–Thu hourly unit blocks not on this bulletin**; soft re-check language.
| Lake | Sun observed | Inflow / release | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bend Dam (Lake Sharpe) | Elev **1420.82 ft** (Δ +0.19) | In ~23,000 cfs · out ~15,200 cfs | MP ~100.0% · verify dam boards before you go |
USACE Missouri · Big Bend Dam
Primary story: white bass. Secondaries: walleye, smallmouth bass.
Failover
Re-check USACE/USBR/NWS boards before launch — Sunday numbers age fast.
Schedules change without notice — re-check USACE / USBR / NWS before launch.
How to fish it — Bank / Kayak / Boat
Bank
- Listen for birds and surface pops along dams/points.
- Cast small spoons/jigs into boils, then step to walleye underneath.
- Respect generation caution zones at Big Bend.
Kayak
- Run windward shorelines where bait pins.
- Keep a second rod for walleye once whites show depth.
- Avoid tailrace restricted water.
Boat
- Chase birds and graph arches under whites.
- Once schools found, vertical jig or small crank.
- Have walleye bait ready when whites fade.
Lure box — Top / Mid / Bottom
Top
- Small walking bait only if whites are crashing — rare midweek.
- Keep topwater as an opportunistic rod.
- Skip constant topwater in cool rain.
Mid
- 1/4–3/8 oz jigs, small spoons, white/chartreuse plastics.
- Lipless crank along wind lanes.
- Troll small shad cranks to locate.
Bottom
- Walleye jig once whites mark deeper.
- Blade bait on rock.
- Live bait on adjacent breaks.
Stain/clear: Clarity unconfirmed at pull — start natural/chrome and darken only if you see stain.
Life stage + What’s on the menu
**White bass schooling on bait** with early-fall cool-down. Walleye and SMB are the honest secondary story.
**What’s on the menu** (seasonal, not a dated hatch): shad/minnow schools — whites advertise the bait; walleye often sit under.
Ethanol-free fuel near this water
Pure-Gas.org E0 · near this water
Source: Pure-Gas.orgpulled Sun Sep 20, 2026 ~8:55 PM CT. Current prices — may change; verify at the pump.
- Lynn's Dakotamart, 117 Hwy 249, Ft. Thompson, SD — ~16.5 mi · E0 listing · Ethanol-free UNBRANDED 87; GPS entered by Jonathan Lathburyprice not listed — verify at pump
- Dakota Shell, 101 E Hwy 16, Oacoma, SD — ~29.8 mi · E0 listing · Ethanol-free SHELL 87 91; GPS entered by Jonathan Lathburyprice not listed — verify at pump
- Casey's General Store, 202 East King, Chamberlain, SD — ~31.5 mi · E0 listing · Ethanol-free CASEY'S 87; GPS entered by Glenn Bprice not listed — verify at pump
- Circle K, 520 N Garfield Ave, Pierre, SD — ~31.5 mi · E0 listing · Ethanol-free CIRCLE K 87 91; GPS Located from address.price not listed — verify at pump
Also hot / also in season
- walleye — honest secondary this week
- smallmouth bass — honest secondary this week
- Regs: SD GFP Fishinglive-check only — do not hardcode inches/creel.
Regs: live-check only — never hardcode length/creel in Cast text.