Fishing near Brookings, SD

Set in Brookings County within South Dakota's Glacial Lakes region, Brookings sits among one of the most lake-dense fishing areas in the Great Plains, where glaciers left more than 120 lakes roughly 20,000 years ago. The Big Sioux River cuts directly through the county, while marquee waters like Lake Poinsett — roughly 7,900 acres — and the Oakwood Lakes complex anchor the local walleye and smallmouth scene.