Garrison Dam creates Lake Sakakawea, one of several major flood control impoundments on the Missouri River. It's an amazing fishery, stretching almost 150 miles to the Montana border. The numbers are staggering when it comes to the size of the lake: more than 365,000 surface-acres, shorelines that stretch more than 1,500 miles, and the Van Hook Arm, which is 14 miles wide!

Don't let the lake's sprawl intimidate you, though. You'll find lots of great angling just about anywhere you decide to launch a boat and/or cast a line. Like the river below Garrison Dam, the lake itself offers great opportunities for coldwater species like brown and rainbow trout and Chinook salmon. You also should expect at least the chance to hook up with a giant pike.

Walleyes, saugers and the hybrid saugeyes add to the angling attraction, as do panfish like crappie and perch. The bottom line is that you're going to find something biting when you visit because the fishery is simply so diverse.

Like the entire Great Plains region, North Dakota experienced significant low-water levels during the extended drought of the late 1980s and early 1990s. During that time, work crews built and extended boat ramps on Sakakawea, creating good access all over the lake.

Lake Sakakawea and Fort Stevenson State Parks are among the best places to consider as your home during a fishing vacation here, but the upper end of the lake also features Lewis and Clark State Park, near Williston.

You've heard mostly about cold-water species so far, but North Dakota offers a wonderful trophy catfish resource: the Red River. It's internationally known for its trophy channel catfish. And you might be surprised to learn that anglers from Europe and Australia consider the Red a hot destination -- for its carp! Mostly known as rough fish in the U.S., carp are more highly thought of as game fish around the world, and that makes the Red River a must-fish destination for travelers from other continents.

From Fargo north to the Canadian border, the Red is hot for big channel cats and, if you're so inclined, carp. And since Interstate 29 never strays more than 10 miles or so from the river, you can expect to find easy access throughout the drainage. Fargo and Grand Forks make great headquarters for a Red River visit; you'll find plenty of places to stay there.

SOUTH DAKOTA
Many anglers think Lake Oahe when they hear mention of South Dakota, but Oahe isn't the lone fishing destination in the state. We're not even going to deal with it first!

Instead, get out your atlas or go online and search "Black Hills" to discover one of the neatest regions in all of the Great Plains. Custer State Park lies in the heart of the Black Hills, which is rich in trout fishing opportunities and even richer in American heritage.

You're a short drive from Mt. Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Monument. You're a short drive from Deadwood, the frontier town recently made part of America's modern consciousness thanks to the HBO original series of the same name. But the fact is you can fill a trip to this area without getting very far from Custer State Park.

There are lots of hiking and biking trails -- including those that provide access to Harney Peak, the second highest point east of the Rockies. Just please do leave time to wade some of the area's trout streams, which offer excellent action.

All the way across the state, near Lake City, you'll find Roy Lake State Park where there's excellent fishing for bass, panfish, pike and walleyes. You'll find the park to be a gateway to a whole region full of natural beauty and fun things to do.