Mo River Flooding Makes For Good SD Fishing

YANKTON, SD - Last year's Missouri River flooding was hard on landowners, but a biologist says the deluge has made for great January fishing in southeastern South Dakota.

An unseasonably warm winter is prompting boaters to fish just below the Fort Randall and Gavins Point dams. South Dakota fisheries biologist Sam Stukel says there's a lot of walleye, and anglers are making up for time they lost to last summer's flooding.

Stukel says the flooding washed more nutrients into the river, which means a bigger food supply for fish. He says there's also plenty of smelt, which are tiny fish that are eaten by bigger walleye and bass.

Stukel says the river should see improved fishing for the next two to five years.