Last week’s snowstorm coupled with the subzero temperatures and high barometric pressure that immediately followed it curtailed much fishing activity around the area until the weekend brought sunny skies and much warmer temps to the relief of locals as well as participants in the The Club for Boys Hooked on Hardwater event. With conditions for the next week calling for 40s most days before it drops to more normal temperatures after that, the region will continue to have safe ice conditions for the foreseeable future. With that in mind, here’s the most reports for the area lakes–
The reports from Angostura and Belle Fourche Reservoirs remain unchanged, with very little walleye activity reported as the lakes are still loaded up with baitfish and ice conditions are an issue after the snowfall and resulting melt from this past weekend’s warm weather may have weakened it.
Reports from Sheridan Lake indicate a decent bite of trout, bluegills, and crappie in the Chipper Bay and Dakota Point areas, though moving is required to stay on fish once they are found. Some pike were also being caught in the north marina bay area. Pactola is still seeing a good bluegill and rainbow trout bite along the south shoreline and marina areas with some lake trout activity reported on the main body, mostly on deadsticks tipped with shiners. Pike activity has slowed a bit back in the Jenny Gulch area. The panfish bite on Stockade has also slowed a bit as the fish are in their midwinter patterns and are suspended over deeper water in 20-25′ of water and moving is required to stay on them. Pike were being caught on the east side, but mostly on the small size.
Deerfield has a hot perch bite going on near the dam and in the Gold Run area, though majority of the fish are on the small side. At the Hooked on Hardwater event this past weekend, workers estimate over 2,000 fish were caught between the 60 boys who fished it with their Pros with the vast majority being small perch. Ice is extremely thick currently at over 3′ along with 16″ of fresh snow on it from the recent storm so auger extensions may be necessary. Vehicle access may also be an issue with the snow as several trucks got stuck on the ice on Saturday.
The trout lakes (Center, Legion, Lakota, Sylvan, Mitchell) are seeing steady bites with the biggest ones coming from Legion and the best bite on Center as usual, where catching dozens of fish in a short time span is common. Ice on all locations is well over 20″ thick and pink or gold jigs tipped with waxies, red spikes, or red plastics are catching them. All these smaller lakes are seeing the trout bites occurring in deeper water at between 15 and 20′.
For more information or current fishing tips in the Black Hills, please email Scott Olson at dr.auger81@hotmail.com or look him up on Facebook at Dr. Auger Ice Fishing Services, LLC or at his website, www.drauger81.wixsite.com/drauger81.