Island Spear Co.

Regulations South Dakota

Spearfishing Regulations in South Dakota

Checked against the primary source (GFP) on July 5, 2026state

Governing agency: South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP). Last verified July 5, 2026 by independent primary-source check.

Summary

South Dakota is a landlocked state with no saltwater, so there is no marine spearfishing; South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) governs all freshwater spearing. South Dakota is unusually spearing-friendly for an inland state - game fish (except paddlefish, muskie and sturgeon) may be taken with a spear gun, spear, crossbow or bow and arrow in a broad set of named waters and seasons, and northern pike and all catfish are open to spearing statewide year-round (except a short list of muskie-managed lakes). (Note: the codified rule also lists 'blowgun,' but GFP's current 2026 handbook and eRegulations omit it - see gear/context.) A standard South Dakota fishing license (required at age 18+, with a habitat stamp) covers spearing; the 2026 handbook confirms there is no separate spearing permit. Spearing is limited to daylight-ish hours (a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset), and speared fish are subject to the same length and daily/possession limits as hook-and-line angling.

License

What you need to be legal

LegalA license is required
License
South Dakota Fishing License (plus the habitat stamp for those 18+)
Who needs it
Residents and nonresidents age 18 and older need a valid South Dakota fishing license to take fish by any legal method, including spearing, spear gun and bowfishing; those 18+ who buy an annual or 3-day fishing license also need the annual habitat stamp. GFP's current 2026 Fishing Handbook states the spearing and archery seasons 'allow licensed anglers to take fish' - i.e., the ordinary fishing license covers spearing, and the handbook lists NO separate spearing permit. South Dakota does NOT currently issue or require a separate spearing permit (an older 'Game Fish Spearing Permit' from around 2011 no longer appears anywhere in GFP regulations). 348
Resident cost
Resident annual fishing $31; resident 1-day fishing $10; resident senior (65+) annual fishing $17; resident senior combination $43. Residents age 18+ also need the $10 annual habitat stamp (not required for the 1-day license). 34
Non-resident cost
Nonresident annual fishing $80; nonresident 3-day (consecutive) $45; nonresident 1-day $26. Nonresidents age 18+ also need the $25 annual habitat stamp for annual/3-day licenses (not required for the 1-day license). 34
Where to buy
Online at gfp.sd.gov or the GoOutdoors South Dakota portal/GFP mobile app, and over-the-counter at many retail and bait stores and some County Treasurer offices statewide. 3

Exemptions

  • Residents under age 18 do not need a fishing license and may take their own limits 34
  • Nonresidents under age 18 do not need a fishing license and may take their own limit 34
  • The habitat stamp is not required with a One-Day Fishing License 4

The full story

The full story

South Dakota is one of the more spearing-friendly landlocked states. Rather than restricting spearing to carp and other rough fish, GFP lets you take GAME FISH by spear gun, spear, crossbow or bow and arrow - everything except paddlefish, muskie and sturgeon, which are protected from spearing statewide. The catch is that the opportunity is organized by water and season, so you have to match your spot to the rulebook: northern pike and all catfish are open statewide year-round (except in a short list of muskie-managed lakes in Day, Brookings, Kingsbury, McCook and Minnehaha Counties); inland waters and the Missouri River (grouped in the handbook as Missouri River Inland Waters, Eastern SD, Western SD and Black Hills) open May 1 through March 31 for all game fish except the three protected species; Lake Oahe runs the same May 1-March 31 window from Oahe Dam up to the North Dakota line; the Nebraska border waters open July 1 through December 31; and the Minnesota boundary waters open November 15 through the last Sunday of February (a winter window where SD allows northern pike and catfish, plus rough fish year-round). Within the Black Hills you may not spear trout or salmon, and walleye are closed in Horseshoe and Reetz Lakes (Day County) and Twin Lake (Minnehaha County).

One method-currency wrinkle worth flagging: the codified administrative rule S.D. Admin. R. 41:07:06:03 still lists 'blowgun' as a legal spearing method (and bars it on the Nebraska and Minnesota shared waters), but GFP's CURRENT 2026 Fishing Handbook and its official eRegulations both omit blowgun entirely - they list only spear, spear gun, crossbow and bow and arrow. In practice, an angler relying on GFP's own current publication would not treat blowgun as a listed method. This is a law-on-paper vs. current-publication gap: do not assume blowgun is allowed without confirming directly with GFP. Two dive-safety limits also trip people up: spearing and archery are flatly prohibited in Angostura Marina and Lewis and Clark Marina, and underwater spearfishing is barred within 100 yards of designated swimming or waterskiing areas, boat docks, power intake tubes and spillways.

On licensing there is no law-vs-practice gap in the sense of a phantom, never-enforced rule: South Dakota genuinely issues and enforces an ordinary fishing license for anyone age 18 or older, plus a $10 (resident) / $25 (nonresident) habitat stamp for those 18+, and that ordinary license is what covers spearing. The nuance worth flagging is historical: around 2011, GFP administered a distinct 'Game Fish Spearing Permit' (referenced by name in GFP's own 2012 angler-opinion survey, whose sample was drawn from anglers who did NOT hold that permit). That separate spearing permit no longer appears anywhere on GFP's current license-types list - spearing today rides on the regular fishing license. If a guide, retailer or old forum post tells you to buy a special 'spearing permit,' treat that as out of date and verify with GFP; you should not be charged for a spearing-specific permit that the agency no longer issues.

A few practical rules trip up newcomers. Spearing is daylight-oriented only - a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset - so no night spearing of game fish. Speared and bowfished fish are held to the SAME length limits and the SAME combined daily and possession limits as hook-and-line angling, and the party-fishing (buddy-limit) provisions explicitly do not apply when you are using spearing or archery gear. You also cannot carry speared game fish through areas that are not open to spearing game fish. If you are diving, GFP's underwater rules apply: a diver-down flag at least 12 by 15 inches (red with a white diagonal stripe) firmly attached to an anchored float, staying within 75 feet of it, with the speargun spear tethered by a line no longer than 20 feet.

Where it's legal

Saltwater & freshwater

Saltwater

Not permitted

South Dakota is landlocked and has no marine or saltwater coastline, so saltwater spearfishing does not exist here. All spearfishing occurs in fresh water (rivers, reservoirs and lakes) under South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks rules.

Freshwater

Legal

Legal and relatively liberal. Game fish - EXCEPT paddlefish, muskie and sturgeon - may be taken with a spear gun, spear, crossbow, or bow and arrow, from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset, in specified waters and seasons. (The codified rule 41:07:06:03 also lists 'blowgun,' but GFP's current 2026 Fishing Handbook and eRegulations omit it and list only spear/speargun/crossbow/bow - do not rely on blowgun without confirming with GFP.) Northern pike and all catfish species may be speared statewide year-round, except in muskie-managed lakes (Lynn, Middle Lynn and Amsden Lakes in Day County; Lake Sinai and Twin Lake east of US Hwy 81 in Brookings County; Twin Lake west of US Hwy 81 in Kingsbury County; and North Island and South Island Lakes in McCook and Minnehaha Counties). Inland waters and the Missouri River (regions grouped in the handbook as Missouri River Inland Waters, Eastern SD, Western SD and Black Hills) are open May 1-March 31 for all game fish except paddlefish, muskie and sturgeon (trout and salmon additionally off-limits in the Black Hills; walleye off-limits in Horseshoe and Reetz Lakes in Day County and Twin Lake in Minnehaha County). Lake Oahe (Oahe Dam upstream to the North Dakota line) is open May 1-March 31 under the Missouri River Inland Waters grouping. Rough fish (excluding protected species) may be speared/bowfished from all inland and border waters year-round, any time of day or night; catfish in the Missouri River Inland Waters are managed as rough fish and may be taken year-round day or night. Speared/bowfished game fish are subject to the same length limits and combined daily/possession limits as hook-and-line angling, and party-fishing provisions do not apply to spearing/archery. 128

Gear

What you can carry

Speargun
Legal. GFP defines a 'speargun' as a muscle-loaded device propelling a spear attached to a line no more than 20 feet long. Spear guns are a legal method of take for game fish (except paddlefish, muskie and sturgeon) in open waters/seasons. 2
Pole spear
A hand/pole spear falls under the GFP definition of 'spear': a shaft with a sharp, barbed point or points propelled by muscle power - a legal method of take. The term 'pole spear' is not used verbatim, but a muscle-powered barbed shaft is expressly legal. 2
Hawaiian sling
Not named verbatim in South Dakota regulation. A Hawaiian sling is an elastic/muscle-loaded device propelling a spear, which fits GFP's 'speargun' definition (muscle-loaded device with the spear attached by a line no more than 20 feet); a sling-type device therefore appears to qualify, but confirm the 20-foot tethered-line requirement and the exact term with GFP. 2
Spearfishing on SCUBA
Underwater spearing (free-diving or SCUBA) is contemplated and legal: GFP requires a diver-down flag and 75-foot rules for anyone spearing underwater (including anyone using an underwater air supply or snorkel), and the speargun line must be no longer than 20 feet. However, underwater spearfishing is NOT permitted within 100 yards of designated swimming or waterskiing areas, boat docks, power intake tubes or spillways, and underwater diving is not permitted where the diver-down flag would restrict boat access at public ramps or watercraft navigation. GFP material does not separately single out SCUBA vs breath-hold diving or impose additional SCUBA-only conditions; confirm any water-specific dive rules with GFP. 28

Gear restrictions

  • Speargun spears must be attached to a line no more than 20 feet long 2
  • Spearing/bowfishing is allowed only from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset 12
  • Speared/bowfished fish must meet the same length limits and count toward the same daily and possession limits as hook-and-line fishing 2
  • Party-fishing provisions do NOT apply to a person using spearing or archery equipment 2
  • A person actively spearfishing/bowfishing may not possess speared game fish in areas not open to the spearing of game fish 28
  • Spearing and archery are prohibited in Angostura Marina and Lewis and Clark Marina 8
  • Underwater spearfishing is not permitted within 100 yards of designated swimming or waterskiing areas, boat docks, power intake tubes or spillways 8
  • CURRENCY NOTE: the codified rule 41:07:06:03 lists 'blowgun' as a legal method and bars it on the Nebraska border and Minnesota boundary waters 1, but GFP's current 2026 Fishing Handbook and eRegulations omit blowgun entirely - treat blowgun as not a listed current method and confirm with GFP before use 28
  • Underwater spearers must display a diver-down flag (at least 12 by 15 inches, red with a white diagonal stripe) firmly attached to a securely anchored float, diver or boat and must stay within 75 feet of the flag; boats with internal-combustion engines may not operate within 75 feet of a displayed diver-down flag (electric-motor boats may). Diver-down flags are not required where motorboat or sailboat operation is prohibited 28

Do not spear

Prohibited species

  • Paddlefish may NOT be taken by spear/spear gun (spearing prohibited statewide) 12
  • Muskellunge (muskie) may NOT be speared (prohibited statewide) 12
  • Sturgeon may NOT be speared (prohibited statewide) 12
  • Salmonids (trout and salmon) may NOT be speared within the Black Hills (Black Hills Fisheries Management Area) 18
  • Walleye may NOT be speared from Horseshoe and Reetz Lakes (Day County) or Twin Lake (Minnehaha County) during the Eastern SD May 1-March 31 game-fish season 8. (The codified rule/eRegulations phrase this as lakes with a one-walleye daily limit 12; the current 2026 handbook names these specific lakes.)
  • Northern pike and catfish spearing is closed in muskie-managed lakes (Lynn, Middle Lynn, Amsden in Day County; Lake Sinai and Twin Lake east of US Hwy 81 in Brookings County; Twin Lake west of US Hwy 81 in Kingsbury County; North Island and South Island Lakes in McCook/Minnehaha Counties) 8

Where you can't

Area restrictions

  • Northern pike and all catfish: statewide, year-round, EXCEPT the muskie-managed lakes listed above 8
  • Inland waters and the Missouri River: all game fish except paddlefish/muskie/sturgeon, May 1-March 31 (trout/salmon closed in the Black Hills; walleye closed in Horseshoe and Reetz Lakes (Day Co.) and Twin Lake (Minnehaha Co.)) 18
  • Lake Oahe (Oahe Dam upstream to the North Dakota state line): open May 1-March 31 (grouped under Missouri River Inland Waters in the 2026 handbook) 18
  • South Dakota-Nebraska border waters (Missouri River from the Big Sioux confluence upstream to the state line where the river is entirely within SD, including Lewis and Clark Lake): open July 1-December 31 18
  • South Dakota-Minnesota boundary waters (excluding the Bois de Sioux River): open November 15 through the last Sunday of February. Per SD's 2026 handbook, the game fish taken here are northern pike and all catfish species (plus rough fish, takeable year-round); the parallel Minnesota rule limits its side to northern pike plus rough fish (carp, buffalo, sheepshead, suckers, redhorse, bowfin, burbot, gar), so confirm both states' rules on shared water 86
  • Spearing and archery are prohibited in Angostura Marina and Lewis and Clark Marina 8
  • The GFP Commission may temporarily open additional areas to spearing by written resolution 1
  • Underwater spearers must stay within 75 feet of their anchored diver-down flag 28

Worth knowing

Notable rules, seasons & limits

  • South Dakota is landlocked - all spearfishing is freshwater only
  • Unusually liberal for an inland state: GAME FISH (not just rough fish) may be speared - all game fish except paddlefish, muskie and sturgeon, in the open waters/seasons 12
  • Legal methods of take per GFP's current 2026 handbook and eRegulations are spear gun, spear, crossbow and bow and arrow (the codified rule 41:07:06:03 also lists blowgun, barred on the NE border and MN boundary waters, but GFP's current publications omit blowgun - see currency note) 128
  • A standard fishing license covers spearing - the 2026 handbook confirms there is NO separate spearing permit (an older Game Fish Spearing Permit from ~2011 is no longer issued) 378
  • Northern pike and all catfish are open to spearing statewide, year-round, except in the named muskie-managed lakes 8
  • Spearing is daylight-oriented: only from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset 12
  • Speared fish count toward the same length, daily and possession limits as hook-and-line fish, and party-fishing rules do not apply to spearers/archers 2
  • You may not possess speared game fish while in areas not open to spearing game fish 2
  • Underwater/SCUBA spearing requires a diver-down flag (12x15 in, red with white diagonal stripe) and staying within 75 feet of it 2

What divers here typically use

Gear up for South Dakota spearfishing

Where spearfishing is allowed in South Dakota, this is the core kit divers assemble before their first day in the water. Our honest guide to the Beginner Spearfishing Gear List walks through what to look for — curated from published specs and community consensus, not paid placement.

If you break them

Penalties

Fishing or spearing without a required license/habitat stamp, spearing a prohibited species (paddlefish, muskie, sturgeon, or protected salmonids/walleye where closed), spearing in a closed area or outside legal hours, or violating gear/diver-flag rules violates South Dakota fishing law (SDCL Title 41) and GFP administrative rules (S.D. Admin. R. Article 41:07), and is generally a Class 2 misdemeanor punishable by fines, possible license revocation and equipment seizure; some serious wildlife violations carry higher penalties and restitution. Specific fine amounts are set by statute and the courts and were not enumerated on the GFP pages reviewed.

Not yet independently confirmed — verify directly

  • Exact statutory penalty/fine dollar amounts (set by SDCL Title 41 and the courts; not enumerated on the GFP pages reviewed).
  • Verbatim regulatory status of the terms 'pole spear' and 'Hawaiian sling' - GFP defines 'spear' (muscle-powered barbed shaft) and 'speargun' (muscle-loaded device, spear on a line <=20 ft) rather than by these device names; their legality is inferred from those definitions, not quoted.
  • Whether SCUBA (vs breath-hold free-diving) carries any additional GFP or water-specific restriction beyond the diver-down flag, 75-foot rule and 100-yard swimming/dock/spillway rule - not separately addressed in the material reviewed.
  • BLOWGUN CURRENCY GAP: the codified rule S.D. Admin. R. 41:07:06:03 (Cornell LII and SD Legislature) still lists 'blowgun' as a legal method, but GFP's current 2026 Fishing Handbook and eRegulations both omit it. Whether blowgun remains lawfully usable in practice (or whether the codified rule is simply stale) should be confirmed directly with GFP.
  • Whether darkhouse (through-the-ice) spearing has a distinct South Dakota rule set beyond the Minnesota-boundary-waters winter window; South Dakota does not appear to run a formal statewide darkhouse program comparable to North Dakota's, but this was not fully confirmed on a GFP page.
  • Precise current-season dates and any commission-resolution additions to the open-water list (the administrative rule allows temporary openings by resolution).

Confirm these points directly with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) before you rely on them.

Primary sources

Sources

Every fact above is drawn from these official sources. Each was retrieved on the date shown; regulations can change after that date.

  8. Source 8: South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks - 2026 South Dakota Fishing Handbook (GFP's current authoritative publication, gfp.sd.gov), Spearing and Archery section (pp. 49-51): legal methods spear/speargun/crossbow/bow-and-arrow (NO blowgun listed), definitions, hours, diver-down flag 12x15 in/75 ft, party-fishing exclusion, game-fish possession-in-closed-area rule, 100-yard swimming/dock/spillway restriction, Angostura and Lewis & Clark Marina prohibition, Game Fish Spearing/Archery Seasons and Dates table (statewide year-round pike/all catfish EXCEPT named muskie-managed lakes; Missouri River Inland Waters, Eastern SD, Western SD, Black Hills May 1-March 31; SD/NE July 1-Dec 31; SD/MN Nov 15-last Sunday of Feb pike+catfish); walleye closed at Horseshoe/Reetz (Day Co.) and Twin Lake (Minnehaha Co.); habitat stamp $10 res/$25 nonres; no separate spearing permit

    Retrieved July 5, 2026https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/nav/FishingHandbook_2026.pdf

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

Is spearfishing legal in South Dakota?
Saltwater spearfishing is restricted in South Dakota, and it is permitted in fresh water, subject to license, gear, species, and area rules. South Dakota is landlocked and has no marine or saltwater coastline, so saltwater spearfishing does not exist here. All spearfishing occurs in fresh water (rivers, reservoirs and…
Do you need a license to spearfish in South Dakota?
Yes. South Dakota requires the South Dakota Fishing License (plus the habitat stamp for those 18+). Resident cost: Resident annual fishing $31; resident 1-day fishing $10; resident senior (65+) annual fishing $17; resident senior combination $43. Residents age 18+ also need the $10 annual habitat stamp (not required for the 1-day license). Non-resident cost: Nonresident annual fishing $80; nonresident 3-day (consecutive) $45; nonresident 1-day $26. Nonresidents age 18+ also need the $25 annual habitat stamp for annual/3-day licenses (not required for the 1-day license).
Can you spearfish on scuba in South Dakota?
Underwater spearing (free-diving or SCUBA) is contemplated and legal: GFP requires a diver-down flag and 75-foot rules for anyone spearing underwater (including anyone using an underwater air supply or snorkel), and the speargun line must be no longer than 20 feet. However,…
What can't you spear in South Dakota?
Protected or no-take species you may not spear in South Dakota include: Paddlefish may NOT be taken by spear/spear gun, Muskellunge, Sturgeon may NOT be speared, Salmonids, Walleye may NOT be speared from Horseshoe and Reetz Lakes, Northern pike and catfish spearing is closed in muskie-managed lakes. Always check the full prohibited-species list and current seasons before diving, and confirm with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP).

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Last verified July 5, 2026. Regulations change — always confirm the current rules with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) before you dive.

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