Drift Dive in SD

[Wkndbum]

If anybody gets the chance & you feel up to it, a drift dive below the dam @ Ft Randall near Pixtown, South Dakota is really a thrill.

Went last Sunday with a group that had a lot of experience with the dive & it was a HOOT! Lots of huge Walleye & Paddlefish. The whole dive only lasts about 12 to 15 min but
what a trip.

Must have dive flag for each buddy team or solo diver, compass, knife & ankle weights, besides your normal gear. This is diving from a boat.

I'll post "local dive site info" as soon as I can.

Anybody have any ?, they can PM me also.

Terry

 

[bl|nk]

Was that for the State spearfishing contest or something on that lines. I think 3 LDS put it on 1 in Sioux Falls and 2 in Nebraska.

How was the visibility? My father and I were thinking about venturing up that way to check out the diving. I dove in Platte this past weekend and it was pure mucky nothing

-Eric.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Platte has always been pretty poor for visibility - normally like thin coffee.

I have not been to Ft Randall in a couple years but I have been to Pierre a couple times this summer to do some drift diving below Oahe. The visibility has not been great with about 10 ft max due to the low water level on Oahe. August is a good month for drift diving in the tailraces at both Pickstown and Pierre as the walleye are usually there in large numbers.

 

[bl|nk]

The water clarity gets worse as you go North so I'm told. Lake Saskawea is really low, Where we used to find 50 ft of water you're lucky to find 15 off the face of the dam.

 

[Wkndbum]

Was that for the State spearfishing contest or something on that lines. I think 3 LDS put it on 1 in Sioux Falls and 2 in Nebraska.

How was the visibility? My father and I were thinking about venturing up that way to check out the diving. I dove in Platte this past weekend and it was pure mucky nothing

-Eric.

Yea, the Spearfishing tournament was Sat. We did the drift below the dam on Sun. Vis was 8' - 12' @ 25' above & about 6' to 10' below.
We dove the wall above the dam by Francis Bay Sun morning, @ 93' vis was 2' with a light.