How insignificant are our endless stories in light of world affairs…

Posted by worldwide-admin on June 22, 2025 with 0 Comment

What a delight it was to see several young male wildebeest who came to call.

As we listen to news from around the world, we are deeply concerned by current global affairs. It’s terrifying for those in the path of ongoing warfare and dreadful in another way for those of us contemplating what could transpire worldwide.

Our simple daily posts don’t touch upon these horrific topics, and by no means does our lack of addressing these topics diminish the effect on us as we live in countries outside our own.

We strive to stay informed while continuing with our everyday lives, but not discussing it here does not indicate apathy or a lack of concern. Our hearts break for those in the path of destruction and have lost their lives, lost their loved ones, been injured, and lost their homes, sense of well-being, and personal sense of safety.

Bossy, my favorite female kudu, visits several times a day.

No words we can write can express the magnitude of what is transpiring in the world. But, our simple posts about our lives of world travel may present a momentary respite for those of our readers who are feeling the terrors of developing situations.

No, we won’t delve into the politics of these devastating scenarios, nor will we discuss our opinions on what our leaders should and shouldn’t do. Doing so is beyond the scope of our intentions in sharing the daily details of our travel lives.

We will continue to post in our typical style. Whether you find it a respite or not, we welcome you to continue visiting us each day, knowing that the love and compassion in our hearts and minds are genuine, especially since we’ve spent so much time coming to know and admire citizens throughout the world.

A purple-crested turaco has been hanging around for days.

And thus, we continue…

It’s almost noon here, and I spent the better part of the morning prepping dinner for tonight. Tom is definitely under the weather with the flu or a bad cold and has gone back to bed for more sleep. The long journey took a toll on him, and he hasn’t been himself since we arrived in Marloth Park five days ago.

I have been feeling fine since we arrived and have had plenty of sleep, although I haven’t been able to fall asleep according to my regular schedule. For the past four nights, I’ve stayed awake until 1:00 or 2:00 am, but slept until 8:00 or 9:00 am, which is unusual for me.

The underside of the purple-crested turacos wings are a bright red. It’s tricky to take a photo when they are in flight.

Hopefully, Tom will fully recover by the time our friends Karen and Rich arrive in six days, and, of course, I’m hopeful that I won’t catch what he has. Fingers crossed.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, June 22, 2015:

A kangaroo was posing for us. They aren’t as friendly as warthogs in South Africa or birds in Kauai so that I won’t go overboard with kangaroo photos. I can’t wait to see a “joey” in a pouch. For more photos, please click here.

Getting organized…

Posted by worldwide-admin on June 19, 2025 with 0 Comment

Yes, Norman visited us, but it was last night in the dark, and I couldn’t manage to get a decent photo to share here today. Surely, he’ll return soon and we’ll be able to take pictures of “our boy.”

As much as I’d like to be done unpacking, I have yet to unpack my suitcase completely. Although we very much like this holiday home, it doesn’t have a lot of storage space. Then again, we’ve found that few holiday homes outside the US have adequate storage space for long-term travelers who may have more “stuff” than those staying for weeks as opposed to months, like us.

When these homes are built or remodeled for rental purposes, spending on extra cupboards and closets is not a priority. Of course, we’ll admit we’ve acquired more stuff while spending so much time here in the past nearly 13 years. Now, as I unpack my one bag, I’ll be making piles of clothing that have been replaced by newer items we recently purchased in the USA.

I’m not sure of the name of this bird. Any suggestions?

Most likely, I’ll offer some of the items in better shape to Vusi or Zef for their family members. I didn’t want to offend them by offering used clothing, but Louise assured me they are grateful. Zef has two wives, which is culturally accepted in South Africa, and surely his wives, his daughters, or other family members, can use the clothing.

This morning, after another good night’s sleep, I awoke to find Tom already out of bed. I’d slept for a solid seven hours, and he said he’s been awake since 2:00 am. He’ll try to avoid taking a nap today so he can sleep better, since both of us nodded off repeatedly while attempting to watch a few streamed shows last night.

We finally gave up trying to watch anything and turned off the laptop before 9:00 pm. By 10:00 pm, he was fast asleep, while I stayed awake until midnight. When I didn’t feel sleepy, I started streaming a boring show on my phone. Without Tom wearing his hearing aids at night, he couldn’t hear the sound of the show. I prefer not to use earbuds when trying to fall asleep.

This worked for me, and finally I drifted off, not awakening until 7:30 refreshed and ready to start my day. It was a night filled with realistic and wild dreams, but sound REM sleep is vital after such a long travel time. Hopefully, tonight, Tom will get at least seven or eight hours of sleep.

Several kudus, male, female, and youngsters, were in the garden near the braai.

Yesterday, we shopped at Spar in Komatipoort, spending US $330, ZAR 5963, restocking many of our usual items for meals, except for meat. The only meat we purchased was paloney for the mongoose. Once I upload today’s post, we’ll head to The Butchery for meat to last until we shop again just before Karen and Rich arrive in nine days.

Also, we’ll make the short trip to Daisy’s Den to pick up pellets, birdseeds, and pay in advance for lucerne to be delivered once a week for the next month. The animals are hungry, and anything we can do to feed them, we will do. We purchased two 5 kg (11-pound) bags of carrots and one large bag of small apples. The total cost for these three bags was under US $5.00, ZAR 90, a bargain compared to what we’d have paid for these items in the US.

As soon as Zef or Vusi arrive here and make the bed, I’ll have Tom toss my suitcase on the bed, and I’ll get to work on putting everything away.

That’s it for today, folks.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, June 19, 2015:

The water, the mountains, a blue sky. What more could we ask for, here in Trinity Beach, our home for three months? For more photos, please click here.

We’re baaaaaaaaaaaack in the bush…No jet lag!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on June 18, 2025 with 0 Comment

Bossy was our first animal to find that we were back. We can only imagine how many times she stopped by in the last three weeks, wondering where we were.

After we arrived in Marloth Park, around 4:30 pm, we stopped at Louise and Danie’s to pick up the keys to the house. It was fantastic to see them both again, as well as Louise’s lovely parents from Cape Town, Estelle and Johan, whom we’ve come to know and adore over the years.

We were too exhausted to join them for sundowners, but we stayed for about 30 minutes, enjoying lively conversation and looking forward to more in the next few days before they return home over the weekend. Louise and Danie’s birthdays are coming up next week, and we’re insisting on taking the four of them out to dinner tomorrow night to celebrate.

While we were away, Zef and Vusi did a complete spring clean of the house, and every corner of the house was clean, dust-free, and organized. We are so grateful.

This morning, at 7:30, after waking up after sleeping through the night, I became blissfully aware that I had no jet lag whatsoever. Also, I couldn’t wait to look through the glass doors to the veranda to see who’d come to call. I wasn’t disappointed.

This was our huge band of mongooses looking for paloney. Since we are shopping later today, we didn’t have any paloney for them. Instead, we gave them little cubes of cheddar cheese. They devoured it.

There were at least eight bushbucks, two male kudus, three impalas, four warthogs, and a dozen helmeted guineafowl. (Sounds like “partridge in a pear tree”). I didnt turn off the security alarm since I didn’t want to wake Tom, who was still sound asleep.

I decided to take another shower, after doing so less than ten hours earlier, get dressed, and get ready for the day. Since the timing was off due to the time difference, I skipped my usual morning pills yesterday to get back on track with morning dosing, considering the time difference.

Now, as I sit at my usual spot at the table on the veranda, the joyful feeling of being surrounded by nature overwhelms me, along with a profound sense of “being back at home”.

The long 42-plus-hour travel time was worth every moment, although the nine-hour layover in London was tough when we hadn’t slept in 24 hours. On the later second flight from London to Johannesburg, I think I slept for about 20 minutes while Tom didn’t do much better.

Big Daddy is on a mission to mate with Bossy.

The flights weren’t too bad, with little turbulence, but the food was awful, so neither of us ate much. We went to lunch at a restaurant in Heathrow, and the food wasn’t much better.

Fortunately, we had left some homemade frozen leftovers, so by 6:00 pm, exhausted and out of sorts, we put together a decent plate of food for each of us and then headed to the bedroom to shower, relax, and see if we could wind down, streaming a show.

Our usual starling is looking for fresh water and birdseed.

Neither of us got through the single episode without nodding off several times, desperately trying to stay awake until at least 10:30 pm. We each took an over-the-counter sleeping pill, and by midnight, we’d both managed to drift off, miraculously both sleeping through the night.

That’s all it took for us to awaken refreshed and alert, with the brain fog gone. For us, a single good night’s sleep is all it takes to get us back on track after a long trip.

As soon as we upload this post, we’ll head to Komatipoort to buy groceries and a few other items. When we return and put the groceries away, I’ll finish my unpacking, and by this evening, our lives in the bush for these remaining three months until we depart for Spain, will be in order.

Today’s photos were all taken this morning. Enjoy them, along with us.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, June 18, 2015:

During our first few days in Trinity Beach, Australia, we had a second kangaroo sighting of the day at a nearby field. The first, we saw in a flash while walking through the rainforest, unable to take a photo in time. For more photos, please click here.

Happy Father’s Day to our sons, friends and all the dads out there…Travel day today…

Posted by worldwide-admin on June 15, 2025 with 0 Comment

We look forward to Norman and his family stopping by when we return to Marloth Park after two days of travel.

What a busy few days we’ve had! We made several purchases while here to restock clothes, shoes, and miscellaneous items that seemed to make us overweight for the two large suitcases we’d brought with us. We spent the entire morning rearranging items to keep the weight of each of the two large bags within the 23 kg, or 50-pound limit.

With the 5 kg, 11 pounds of jelly candies Tammy gave Tom for Father’s Day, we had a real dilemma. We couldn’t fit it into either of our large bags without incurring an extra US $100 overweight fee. We’d purchased one small carry-on bag, which we ended up using for the candy. Goodness!

At the moment, we think we have it all covered, and the weight of our bags shouldn’t require any extra fees. Fortunately, as always, we have our bathroom scale with us, which makes this process manageable instead of waiting until we reach the check-in desk, where the bags are weighed, and we receive our boarding passes.

Traveling on international flights generally allows for more checked baggage. We always check online to see what limitations we have to deal with. Additionally, checking in at a check-in station doesn’t work as easily as it does for domestic flights.

Greg, Heather, and the kids asked us to join them for brunch at a restaurant today, but that would have been while we were trying to figure things out. If we needed to go out to purchase an extra bag, our minds wouldn’t have been at ease to dine out. Now, we can relax and know we’re in good shape.

Since our flight isn’t until almost 11:00 pm tonight, and we’re out of food, Tom will head out at around 4:00 pm to go to Jimmy John’s for unwiches, which don’t leave us feeling overly full and uncomfortable. We’d considered ordering Chinese food, but the salty food isn’t good, which could result in swelling in our feet.

Both of us will be wearing compression socks, which we’ll put on shortly before the first flight boards. We won’t take them off for the nine-hour layover in London, where we’ll be tomorrow during the day. Most likely, we’ll wear them until we arrive at the house in Marloth Park in the afternoon, around 5:00 pm.

We have delicious homemade tuna patties in the freezer at the house, which we can have for dinner when we arrive, along with homemade keto blueberry muffins. The following day, depending on how we feel, we’ll head to Komatipoort to stock up on items we’ll need to restock.

If we’re still too tired to drive that far, we can go to the little SavMore market located in Marloth Park. No doubt, it’ll take a few days to recover from the long journey, but we’ll be so happy to return; we’ll manage just fine.

Happy Father’s Day to our wonderful sons and all the dads in the world on this special day.

We’ll “see” you next on the other side of the world!

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, June 15, 2015:

This appears to be a parasite-type plant growing on a palm tree in the yard in Trinity Beach, Australia. For more photos, please click here.

Why don’t we fly Business Class for these long flights?…One day and counting…Packing almost done..

Posted by worldwide-admin on June 14, 2025 with 2 Comments

Business Class seat configurations vary from airline to airline and type of aircraft. Often, paying so much more only provides a configuration such as this.

Note: Due to WiFi issues, we are unable to format the paragraphs in today’s post properly.

We are often asked why we don’t fly Business Class when flying to and from South Africa. Below, I’ve posted the best price I could find for the itinerary, per person, one way from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Nelspruit, South Africa. These prices were obtained from Expedia.com, representing today’s prices for a date further into the future, as short-notice flights can be higher priced.

“Minneapolis (MSP) – Mbombela (MQP)

Multiple airlines operated by Discover Airlines, Lufthansa, and Airlink

41h 50m • 2 stops

14h 15m in FRA • 7h 20m in JNB

One way per traveler”

If we’d opted for business class, the price might not have doubled, but it’d typically be around US $11,000 per person, totaling US $22,000 for this one round-trip from South Africa to the USA and back.

We decided, long ago in our world travels, that flying Business Class would not be an option when we’d much rather spend money on quality accommodations, adventures, dining out, high-quality groceries, and rental cars.

Moments ago, Tom calculated that the total cost for our upcoming four cruises is $21,273.80, including deposits but excluding WiFi on the ships, always booking a balcony cabin. Neither of us has ever been interested in booking a lower-priced interior cabin when we enjoy having the sliding doors open to a veranda so much.

Additionally, interior cabins lack windows, and although we don’t spend much time in the cabin, we appreciate the extra space and the exterior views.

Thus, if we’d opted for Business Class for this one round trip from South Africa to the US and back, we’d have incurred an additional cost of about $18,000 over and above what we paid for our coach round-trip flights.

Without question, flying Business Class makes the flying time much more comfortable when we can lie down to sleep. However, twice when we secured deals on Business Class, we were able to fly in Business Class, and even then, neither of us was able to sleep for more than three hours while lying down. When doing the math, it’s just not worth it.

On most coach flights, Tom can doze for a total of three hours sitting straight up, while I am lucky to get two hours of sleep, nodding off now and then while watching movies. Considering that our upcoming layover times are almost as long as flight times, it makes no sense. There’s no sleep expected during the nine-hour layover in London on the first leg.

Upgrading to Business Class can often allow unlimited cocktails, beer, and wine for passengers. But, they are included on our upcoming flights with Virgin Atlantic. Besides, neither of us cares to drink alcohol when flying since it can have an impact on one’s ability to sleep.

One more day and tomorrow, we’ll head to the airport for our 11:00 pm start to the long journey. Leaving on Sunday, we’ll arrive in Marloth Park on Tuesday. Our hotel here in Minnesota, the Residence Inn by Marriott, provided us with a late check-out, as late as we needed for our 11:00 pm flight.

Most likely, we’ll leave the hotel tomorrow by 7:30 pm, as most international flights require arriving at the airport three hours before the scheduled flight. We’ll have to go through immigration, which may result in a long wait at times.

Tonight, we’ll dine on the last of our Costco meats, along with egg salad I made this morning. We’ll be back with more tomorrow.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, June 14, 2015:

This was the kitchen in the Trinity Beach, Australia house. The only workspace in the kitchen was near the sink. But, as long as I had room for the cutting board as shown, I could cook any meals. For more photos, please click here.

Packing day…Last night out with my side of the family…Tonight, Tom’s family…Two days and counting…

Posted by worldwide-admin on June 13, 2025 with 0 Comment

Tom wasn’t able to finish this enormous margarita last night at dinner with Greg, Heather, and the kids at El Loro Mexican Restaurant in Chanhassen. Time to say goodbye.

We had another fantastic evening last night at dinner with Greg, Maisie, and her boyfriend, Dakota, Miles, Madigan, Heather, and her daughter, Andi, at the same Mexican restaurant where we dined a year ago on our last night together.

Although the restaurant had changed hands in the past year, the food, ambiance, and service were all exemplary. But, most of all, being together one last time before we depart in two days was the most pleasing after many excellent get-togethers over the past three weeks since we arrived in Minnesota for Maisie’s graduation.

The kids have grown up so much, and we couldn’t have enjoyed them more. Each time we got together, the conversations and laughter flowed with ease, warming our hearts.

The same warm feelings were experienced with Tom’s adult kids and grandchildren on several occasions when we spent precious time with them.

Miles ordered this big plate of food and ate most of it. I forgot, once again, to take photos of people since I was preoccupied enjoying everyone’s company.

Today will be the last time for happy hour and dinner at Billy’s Bar and Grill in Anoka with Tom’s siblings and some nieces and nephews. As much as I’d like to go and say goodbye to everyone, I think that today, I need a day to finish laundry and prepare for our upcoming extended journey back to South Africa on Sunday. Tom will pick up his sisters this afternoon and head to Billy’s.

I will stay behind, awaiting the arrival of our final few packages today and finalizing some of the packing. We’re in good shape, although we will be overweight in one of our two bags. We purchased a lot of clothes and supplies while we were here, and Tom got his dress suit from Greg, who had been storing it for him.

I purchased two pairs of shoes, Tom purchased one, but we have yet to discard the old shoes, figuring we’d wear them and the old clothes during our remaining three months in South Africa. Additionally, we needed to restock several supplements and health supplies that were taking up space and weight.

Additionally, Tom purchased enough Crystal Light Iced Tea to last a year, until our return to the US next year for Miles’ graduation, and I bought an equal-sized supply of Good Earth caffeine-free tea bags to make my healthy iced tea. Both of these options took up a lot of space, but neither of us is willing to drink endless bottles of water, which would further pollute the environment.

We use pitchers to make our respective iced teas and load our mugs for daily drinking, as well as when we go out and about. I never added up how many plastic water bottles we avoid using, but it’s in the thousands each year.

That’s it for today, folks. Thanks to our readers for hanging in there with us during this three-week family visit. We’ll be back to the bush in four days (including two travel days) and looking forward to seeing our animal and human friends soon.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, June 13, 2015:

The private swimming pool for our exclusive use at the holiday home in Trinity Beach, Australia. For more photos, please click here.

Part 2…Emergency evacuation off a cruise ship…What are the costs?…

Posted by worldwide-admin on June 11, 2025 with 0 Comment

Emergency evacuation helicopter approaching the ship to pick up the ailing passenger. See the post here.

In yesterday’s post, we covered the process of being airlifted off a cruise ship in the event of a medical emergency. Today, we’re covering the average costs of such an event.

The cost of a medical evacuation from a cruise ship can vary widely depending on several factors. Still, it is typically costly and is not usually covered by standard health insurance. Here’s a breakdown:

Typical Cost of Medical Evacuation from a Cruise Ship
Scenario Estimated Cost (USD)
Ship-to-shore via small boat $5,000 – $20,000
Helicopter airlift (within U.S.) $20,000 – $50,000+
International helicopter airlift $40,000 – $100,000+
Air ambulance to home country (ICU) $50,000 – $200,000+

Factors That Influence the Cost
Location of the ship (remote ocean = more expensive)

Type of evacuation (boat vs. helicopter vs. jet)

Distance to nearest hospital or mainland

Level of medical care needed (ICU setup, doctor/nurse escort)

Whether multiple transfers are required

Local laws and coordination with foreign emergency services

Travel Insurance Is Essential
Most cruise lines and governments strongly recommend or require travel insurance with medical evacuation coverage for this reason. Good policies usually cover:

Evacuation costs

Medical care abroad

Repatriation to your home country

Travel with a companion or family member

A policy with $250,000+ in emergency medical evacuation coverage is often recommended for cruise travelers.

Real-Life Examples
A traveler airlifted from a Caribbean cruise to Miami due to a heart attack reportedly incurred $85,000 in helicopter and hospital bills.

A couple without insurance was airlifted from the Pacific and had to raise over $180,000 online to cover costs.

Purchasing adequate travel insurance can put travelers’ minds at ease. Additionally, it is advisable to check with your medical professionals regarding the safety of embarking on a cruise with your current medical condition, especially when traveling outside your home country.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, June 11, 2015:

View of the Sydney Opera House from the ship at 6:30 am this morning. It’s hard to believe we’re here on our fifth continent! For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…Emergency evacuation off a cruise ship…

Posted by worldwide-admin on June 10, 2025 with 0 Comment

The ill passenger was wrapped in the exterior covering over the basket, with a paramedic holding the passenger as he was raised into the helicopter. See the post here.

On numerous cruises, a seriously ill patient has been evacuated by a medical helicopter and transported to the closest medical facility for treatment. It’s terrifying to even think of such a scenario. In today’s and tomorrow’s posts, we’re sharing details of what occurs in these dreadful situations.

We ask the question, “When is a passenger’s health too precarious to embark on a cruise?”

Only each traveler, their travel companion (if one), and their doctor can answer that question. But, often medical emergencies occur that a passenger could not have predicted in advance. However, many diseases and illnesses are more likely to cause an emergent situation and should be carefully considered before booking a cruise.

Here’s a general overview of what usually happens in those situations, along with some guidance:

What Happens When You’re Airlifted Off a Cruise Ship

Medical Emergency Identified
- The ship’s medical team assesses the situation.
- If the illness is life-threatening or cannot be managed on board, the ship’s doctor contacts the Coast Guard or local authorities for a medevac (medical evacuation).
Coordination with Authorities
- The ship coordinates with the nearest country’s coast guard or emergency services.
- Depending on the location, a helicopter or rescue vessel is dispatched.
Airlift Procedure
- The ship alters course or slows down to accommodate the airlift.
- The patient is stabilized as much as possible before being winched or transferred.
Transfer to Hospital
- The patient is taken to the nearest hospital with appropriate facilities, often in the closest port or coastal city.
- Care is handed over to the land-based medical team.
Notification and Next Steps
- Cruise lines typically contact the person’s emergency contact.
- Travel insurance providers (if applicable) are also notified.

What to Do If This Happened to You or a Loved One

Medical Care: Focus on stabilizing the patient. Hospitals will prioritize care, especially in emergencies.
Travel Insurance: Contact your travel insurance company immediately. They can help cover:
- Emergency evacuation
- Medical bills
- Lodging for companions
- Return travel
Cruise Line Contact: Maintain communication with the cruise line. They can assist with logistics, personal belongings, and sometimes advocate for you.
Documentation: Keep all medical records, evacuation paperwork, and communication logs.
Aftercare: Once stabilized, talk to doctors about when and how it’s safe to return home. The insurance company may arrange a medical escort flight.

Being airlifted off a cruise can be terrifying and disorienting, not only for the patient but also for loved ones. It’s not just a health scare; it’s an upheaval of plans, privacy, and peace of mind.

We’ve been on several cruises where this has transpired. Rumors of the cause of the medical evacuation and potential costs circulate throughout the ship. We’ve never heard the outcome of an emergency evacuation, but always hope and pray that the patient was well-served and survived.

For the costs associated with the necessity of medical evacuation, please check back tomorrow for Part 2.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, June 10, 2015:

Helicopter preparing to pick up a sick passenger from the cruise. For more photos, please click here.

Here’s what the Midwest is all about for many!….Unbelievable photo…

Posted by worldwide-admin on June 9, 2025 with 0 Comment

Our nephew Kevin is on the far right. He and his five friends legally caught all of these walleyes in South Dakota on the Missouri River.

Last weekend, Tom’s nephew Kevin joined five of his buddies for a fishing trip on the Missouri River in South Dakota. Here are details about the Missouri River in that location.

We were in awe when we saw the above photo, which reminded us of our time living in Minnesota on a lake and frequently fishing from the dock at our property, never catching many walleye, as Kevin and his friends did. If we caught one walleye while out for the day, we’d have been thrilled.

A catch like this appears to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Still, devoted fishing aficionados might disagree, having been fortunate and skilled enough to have a few days like these.

Fishing on the Missouri River in South Dakota is a beloved tradition for locals and a bucket-list destination for anglers across the U.S. With its long stretch of scenic water, four major reservoirs (Lake Oahe, Lake Sharpe, Lake Francis Case, and Lewis and Clark Lake), and an abundance of fish species, it offers something for every level of fisherman—from beginners to seasoned pros.

Popular Fish Species

Walleye – The top draw. South Dakota is known for some of the best walleye fishing in the country, especially in Lake Oahe and Lake Sharpe.
Northern Pike – Aggressive and fun to catch, found especially in weedy shallows.
Smallmouth Bass – Especially strong populations in Lake Sharpe and Francis Case.
Catfish – Channel catfish are plentiful, with some flathead catfish as well.
Chinook Salmon – Unusual for a Midwestern river, but Lake Oahe is one of the few inland reservoirs stocked with them.
White Bass and Crappie – Seasonal favorites for light-tackle anglers.

Where to Fish

Lake Oahe (Pierre to North Dakota border)

Best for: Walleye, salmon
Features: Deep, cold water, ideal for trolling and boat fishing

Lake Sharpe (just below Oahe Dam)

Best for: Smallmouth bass, walleye
Known for: Clearer water and structure-rich fishing conditions

Lake Francis Case (from Fort Randall Dam to Big Bend)

Best for: Walleye, catfish
Often warmer, great for summer fishing from shore or boat

Lewis and Clark Lake (near Yankton)

Best for: White bass, crappie, and panfish
Family-friendly access and less wind exposure

Tips and Techniques

Spring and Fall are ideal for walleye—use jigs and minnows early in the year; transition to spinners and bottom bouncers in summer.
Trolling is popular on the big reservoirs, especially for covering water to locate schools of fish.
Shore fishing is possible near dams and boat ramps, especially productive in spring.
Ice fishing is common in winter, particularly for perch and walleye.

Licenses and Regulations

A South Dakota fishing license is required for residents and non-residents (daily and seasonal options available).
Special regulations may apply to certain areas and species—check South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks for updates.

Camping and Lodging

Most major fishing areas have nearby:

Campgrounds (some with electric/water hookups)
Fishing lodges or cabins
Boat ramps and cleaning stations
Guided fishing services

Whether you’re fly fishing near a dam, trolling for salmon in the deep waters of Oahe, or pulling in walleye at dawn from a quiet cove, the Missouri River system in South Dakota offers a memorable experience. Many who fish here return year after year—it’s that good.

We are excited for Kevin, who had this extraordinary experience while visiting family in Minnesota with his dear wife Kristi. They spend time with family and friends in the summer in Minnesota. A few years ago, they built a lovely home in Florida for the remainder of the year. We always enjoy spending time with them when they visit.

Kristi has a successful organic bakery company, One More Bite Organic Desserts, which can be found at this link. They ship anywhere in the US. Their treats are stupendous!

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, June 9, 2015: