Pay lakes in South Dakota

It depends. At a GFP-licensed private fish hatchery, customers who buy and catch the hatchery's fish in a private pool on the hatchery (with GFP permission) need no South Dakota fishing license; elsewhere the normal license rules apply.

South Dakota licenses pay lakes through its Private Fish Hatchery License - 'Fee Fishing' license type ($150) and 'Aquaculture' license type ($275; also may provide fee fishing), run by the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP). The license rule depends on the lake holding that state license, so ask the lake if you are unsure.

"No license is required for the privilege of purchasing and catching fish pursuant to § 41-6-40."

Source: SDCL 41-6-41 'Fishing license not required to fish in private hatchery'; SDCL 41-6-40: 'A private fish hatchery licensee may with the permission of the secretary of game, fish and parks, allow the purchaser of fish propagated or held in a hatchery to fish for them in any private pool located on the hatchery and to remove and transport the fish so caught and purchased...', checked November 2026. Compare every state on our pay lake license rules page.