South Dakota
Webster has a one-stop shop for everything anglers and hunters need
Why some Erie folks prefer to fish on ice
With the right gear, ice-fishing fans spend hours on bay ice nearly a foot thick.
- Sportsmans Cove is a family-owned outfitter in Webster, South Dakota, serving anglers and hunters.
- In addition to gear, the business offers lodging options for visiting outdoor enthusiasts.
- The store sells a wide range of products, including fishing supplies, firearms and hunting gear.
An army of anglers and hunters come to northeastern South Dakota to ply the lakes for whopper walleye or try their luck with waterfowl, big game or anything between. With so much water and so many options, having a local expert to guide you – that’s more valuable than the best lures, rods or reels.
The experts at Sportsmans Cove in Webster will dial you in on anything you might have forgotten back in Sioux Falls or Omaha, outfit you if you’re new to angling and most importantly, they know how South Dakota wind is not just a bug – it’s a feature. Or even if you are rolling in from as close as Aberdeen or Watertown.
“We’re blessed to have the fisheries we have nearby, from big lakes like Bitter to Waubay to some smaller ones. They’re all so close,” said Doug Johnson, who owns and operates Sportsmans Cove with his wife, Rhonda, and son, Dustin.
“Stop at a box store or gas station for bait, and they’re not going to be able to share the deep knowledge our team has when it comes to a good bite and where to launch or land,” he said.
Local expertise is only a single facet of this gem of an outfitter smack dab at the hub of hundreds of thousands of wet acres of fishing. People know it – Johnson said more than 1,000 people a day will stop in during peak seasons, which vary depending on the time of year and the species of fish anglers want.
“Walleye is No. 1 in the summer as you might expect, but perch in the winter for ice fishing is another big draw for folks,” Johnson said. “We know not only where to go, but what to use for bait, and when to hit the water to get the best results.”
While Bitter Lake and Waubay Lake are the fishing “foundation” of the area, Roy, Blue Dog, Pickerel, Enemy Swim and others are spots Johnson and his team know, too, so they can guide your plan for a day or a week.
With an array of firearms for sale, ammunition and complete hunting gear services, Sportsmans Cove lives up to its name as not only an angler’s heaven but a place a small-game seeker might get a great deal on the perfect shotgun for their sport.
“One of the biggest challenges for us, when it comes to hiring staff, is the fact we need knowledgeable and trustworthy people to help customers with anything from shiners and sucker chubs to the regulations and steps needed to purchase a quality firearm,” Johnson explained. “That’s what keeps us busy – having the ability to do so many things for customers who want some well-informed help when they’re in this part of South Dakota.”
Another item traveling anglers or hunters may need is a place to put their heads down after a big day in the boat. Sportsman Cove realizes this fact, and Johnson said lodging is another integral part of his business.
“We have the Sportsmans Cabin out in the country, as well as an apartment-like spot called The Den here in town,” he said. “We also have the Guest House, so we can make sure you and your group have a place to stay while you’re here to hunt or fish.”
Johnson, 63, started this business with his gumption and an abandoned building he crafted and fine-tuned into a compilation of services. The multilayered business meets the needs of the outdoors people who recognize the draw of this area of South Dakota. It’s part of the Prairie Pothole Region but also has those giant waterways – Bitter and Waubay Lakes – that can give the best fishing enthusiast days and days of limiting-out memories.
“We can help you figure out where the best bite is happening when you come, as well as your best bet when it comes to access,” Johnson said. “We’ll make sure you steer clear of a dock that might make landing or launching a really tough part of your fishing trip, because of the wind.”
Just north of Highway 12, near the spot it junctions with Highway 25, Sportsmans Cove and the team who make it hum realize they’re in a great spot. The people who love the outdoors know it, too.
“There’s not many mom-and-pops around anymore, but we’re doing it,” Johnson said. “We’re just fortunate to have so much good water nearby and so many perfect places to explore, hunt or fish. We really enjoy sharing what we know with the folks who come up to enjoy the pastimes they are enthusiastic about.”