PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — A lot of South Dakotans are wetting fishing lines this spring.
More than 32,800 residents bought fishing licenses so far, according to the state Game, Fish and Parks Department.
That’s the highest number to this point in at least the past five years.
More than 7,400 residents purchased senior fishing licenses. And more than 1,400 residents have paid for one-day fishing licenses. Those also are the highest in at least five years.
Early numbers are running strong as well for combination licenses that can be used for fishing and for hunting small game. More than 43,000 residents have bought them already this spring.
What about ‘out-of-staters’ visiting South Dakota waters?
There have been more than 10,400 non-resident licenses sold. That’s more than the past two seasons to this point, but not quite up to levels of 2016 and 2017.
The same holds true for non-resident family fishing licenses and non-resident three-day licenses. One-day non-resident licenses, however, are at their highest in five years.
The full report on fishing, hunting and trapping licenses is here on the last page.
