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West Fork Vermillion River

Fishing spots, fishing reports, and regulations in

South Dakota, United States

5.0·31 catches

Top fish species at West Fork Vermillion River

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West Fork Vermillion River fishing reports

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Freshwater drum

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Channel catfish

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Channel catfish

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Channel catfish

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Yellow bullhead

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Channel catfish

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General info

West Fork Vermillion River is a stream located in McCook County, South Dakota, United States. It is also intersecting with Kingsbury County, South Dakota. It is most popular for fishing Channel catfish, Common carp, and Largemouth bass.

Location

43°43′36.5″N 97°24′55.1″W
Directions

When are Largemouth Bass biting on West Fork Vermillion River?

Learn what time of year and day to go fishing at West Fork Vermillion River. Download Fishbrain today to look for new fishing spots, scout new fishing access, or prep for your next trip.

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Fishing regulations at West Fork Vermillion River, SD

Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.

Fishing regulations in South Dakota can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.

Regulations for top species

Season open: year-round
Channel catfish

Channel catfish

Regulation boundarySouth Dakota State Waters
Bag limit10

The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.

Aggregate limit10

The maximum number of individual fish across an aggregate group of species legally harvested per harvester per day.

Restrictions & requirements

SD Felt Soles

External felt sole footwear including boots and waders may not be used in the waters of South Dakota. This type of waders or boots can be a pathway for transmission of aquatic invasive species as the absorbent felt material can trap sediment and organic material which may include didymo (rock snot) cells, disease spores or invertebrate larvae.

SD Game Fish

Game fish includes all species belonging to the paddlefish, salmon/trout (including splake, lake trout, lake herring and whitefish), sturgeon, pike, catfish (including bullheads), sunfish (including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and crappies), perch (including walleye and sauger) and bass families (including white bass). Season dates, limits and restrictions are established for all game fish. The season is closed for all sturgeon species in SD inland and border waters.

SD Snagging

Intentional snagging of fish is prohibited, except for paddlefish and salmon during established seasons. Foul-hooked fish may be kept as part of the legal limit. Foul-hooked fish are those inadvertently snagged in body areas other than the mouth with conventional lures by anglers using normal fishing methods. Foul-hooked paddlefish may only be kept by anglers with paddlefish permits during the established paddlefish seasons.

SD Landing Aids

Landing nets, gaffs, and similar devices may be used to land fish, which are in the process of being caught by legal methods. Gaffs and other penetrating devices cannot be used to land snagged paddlefish.

SD Bait

The following fish species and their cleanings may not be used as bait in hook and line fishing: common carp, goldfish, gamefish, aquatic invasive fish.Anglers may not import live baitfish into South Dakota. It is illegal to empty receptacles containing bait into public waters. Bait may not be transported in water taken from a lake, pond, stream, or river. Species that may be used as bait by lawful anglers are: bullhead, lake herring, fathead minnow, white sucker, creek chub, flathead chub, western silvery minnow, plains minnow, golden shiner, emerald shiner, spottail shiner, gizzard shad, sunfish of the genus Lepomis (green sunfish, pumpkinseed, orange-spotted sunfish, bluegill, redear sunfish, Lepomis sunfish hybrids), tiger salamander (all subspecies), leopard frog (all subspecies), crayfish (all native species), freshwater shrimp and leeches. Live gizzard shad may not be transported away from the water in which they were taken. Bullhead and sunfish of the genus Lepomis (green sunfish, pumpkinseed, orange-spotted sunfish, bluegill, redear sunfish, Lepomis sunfish hybrids) may be used as bait by licensed anglers when taken by legal hook and line. Lake herring may be used as bait by licensed anglers when taken by hook and line, seines, lift nets, cast nets, and dip nets.

SD Hook and Line

A line is defined as a length of string or cord to which a hook or artificial lure is attached for the purpose of catching fish. Two lines may be used for open-water fishing whereas four lines may be used for fishing through the ice. Only two lines may be used in the South Dakota-Minnesota Border Waters year-round. A line may have three hooks per line year-round, including the South Dakota-Minnesota Border Waters. Only one end of each line may be equipped with hooks. An artificial lure constitutes one hook, regardless of the number of gang hooks attached. A legal bow and arrow, legal crossbow, legal spear, or legal speargun is to be counted as one line when anglers are using multiple lines.

SD Attended Lines

Each line used must be under the direct supervision and within the unaided observation of the legal user at all times.

Additional information
Possession limit is 20See here for site specific regulations
Edibility
Very good Catch, Clean, Cook Channel Catfish by BlueGabe
Synonyms
Ictalurus punctatus
Season open: year-round
Largemouth bass

Largemouth bass

Regulation boundarySouth Dakota State Waters
Bag limit5

The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.

Aggregate limit5

The maximum number of individual fish across an aggregate group of species legally harvested per harvester per day.

Restrictions & requirements

SD Felt Soles

External felt sole footwear including boots and waders may not be used in the waters of South Dakota. This type of waders or boots can be a pathway for transmission of aquatic invasive species as the absorbent felt material can trap sediment and organic material which may include didymo (rock snot) cells, disease spores or invertebrate larvae.

SD Game Fish

Game fish includes all species belonging to the paddlefish, salmon/trout (including splake, lake trout, lake herring and whitefish), sturgeon, pike, catfish (including bullheads), sunfish (including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and crappies), perch (including walleye and sauger) and bass families (including white bass). Season dates, limits and restrictions are established for all game fish. The season is closed for all sturgeon species in SD inland and border waters.

SD Snagging

Intentional snagging of fish is prohibited, except for paddlefish and salmon during established seasons. Foul-hooked fish may be kept as part of the legal limit. Foul-hooked fish are those inadvertently snagged in body areas other than the mouth with conventional lures by anglers using normal fishing methods. Foul-hooked paddlefish may only be kept by anglers with paddlefish permits during the established paddlefish seasons.

SD Landing Aids

Landing nets, gaffs, and similar devices may be used to land fish, which are in the process of being caught by legal methods. Gaffs and other penetrating devices cannot be used to land snagged paddlefish.

SD Bait

The following fish species and their cleanings may not be used as bait in hook and line fishing: common carp, goldfish, gamefish, aquatic invasive fish.Anglers may not import live baitfish into South Dakota. It is illegal to empty receptacles containing bait into public waters. Bait may not be transported in water taken from a lake, pond, stream, or river. Species that may be used as bait by lawful anglers are: bullhead, lake herring, fathead minnow, white sucker, creek chub, flathead chub, western silvery minnow, plains minnow, golden shiner, emerald shiner, spottail shiner, gizzard shad, sunfish of the genus Lepomis (green sunfish, pumpkinseed, orange-spotted sunfish, bluegill, redear sunfish, Lepomis sunfish hybrids), tiger salamander (all subspecies), leopard frog (all subspecies), crayfish (all native species), freshwater shrimp and leeches. Live gizzard shad may not be transported away from the water in which they were taken. Bullhead and sunfish of the genus Lepomis (green sunfish, pumpkinseed, orange-spotted sunfish, bluegill, redear sunfish, Lepomis sunfish hybrids) may be used as bait by licensed anglers when taken by legal hook and line. Lake herring may be used as bait by licensed anglers when taken by hook and line, seines, lift nets, cast nets, and dip nets.

SD Hook and Line

A line is defined as a length of string or cord to which a hook or artificial lure is attached for the purpose of catching fish. Two lines may be used for open-water fishing whereas four lines may be used for fishing through the ice. Only two lines may be used in the South Dakota-Minnesota Border Waters year-round. A line may have three hooks per line year-round, including the South Dakota-Minnesota Border Waters. Only one end of each line may be equipped with hooks. An artificial lure constitutes one hook, regardless of the number of gang hooks attached. A legal bow and arrow, legal crossbow, legal spear, or legal speargun is to be counted as one line when anglers are using multiple lines.

SD Attended Lines

Each line used must be under the direct supervision and within the unaided observation of the legal user at all times.

Additional information
Possession limit is 10See here for site specific regulations
Edibility
Very good Catch, Clean, Cook Largemouth Bass by BlueGabe
Synonyms
Micropterus nigricans
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Local laws and licenses

South Dakota fishing license

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Reviews of West Fork Vermillion River

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FAQ about West Fork Vermillion River fishing

📍 Where is the West Fork Vermillion River located?
the West Fork Vermillion River is a stream located in McCook County, South Dakota, United States. It is also intersecting with Kingsbury County, South Dakota. Its coordinates are:
43°43′36.5″N 97°24′55.1″W
.
🎣 Where on the West Fork Vermillion River is it best to fish?
Find the best fishing spots on the West Fork Vermillion River by looking at where other anglers have caught fish. This can easily be done in the where it is also possible to see big fish potential and how good fishing is right now along with Garmin® depth maps.
🐟 What species are in the West Fork Vermillion River?
The most common species in the West Fork Vermillion River are:
📢 What are the latest West Fork Vermillion River fishing reports?
The latest West Fork Vermillion River fishing reports are:
🪪 Do I need a fishing license to fish at the West Fork Vermillion River?

Fishing in South Dakota requires a valid state fishing license for anglers. Resident and non-resident annual and short-term licenses are available online or from licensed agents statewide.

In South Dakota, no fishing license is required for anglers under 16 or residents 65 and older. A few other exceptions worth knowing:

  • Free fishing days — most states designate 1–2 weekends a year where anyone can fish without a license

  • Tribal waters — tribal members fishing on tribal land operate under separate tribal regulations

  • Private ponds — landowners fishing their own water typically don't need a license

Non-residents usually pay more for a license than residents. Some species also require an extra stamp or endorsement on top of your base license.

Get license
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