While the weather has been quite cooperative recently, allowing many in the area to hit the ice on area lakes, temperatures will be plummeting for the next several days, leading to a decrease in ice fishing activity to all but those who are outfitted for such conditions. But many lakes within the Hills have good bites going on so those who venture out could be rewarded with some nice catches. Here’s the current reports from the area lakes:
Angostura and Belle Fourche Reserviors are seeing slow to no activity on the walleye side of things as the lakes are loaded with baitfish right now and the walleyes are gorging on those and not responding to much on the lure side of things. The coming weather patterns will not help matters. Other plains lakes have also reported very slow activity including Bear Butte and Curlew, which just had the road to it reopened.
The smaller trout lakes in the Hills, including Sylvan, Center, Lakota, Bismarck, Legion, and Mitchell, have good trout bites in progress though most activity is concentrated on Center Lake right now as a hot bite is going on in 12′-20′ of water at areas around the lake. White or gold panfish jigs tipped with waxworms or white plastics has been the winning ticket for bigger cutthroat trout action. Another winning lure is the Clam Pinhead Pro gold spoon in 1/32 oz. tipped with waxies. The other lakes are also seeing action on these colors as well as red and wonderbread colored jigs suspended a couple of feet off of the bottom.
Pactola Reservoir is seeing some good pike action back in Jenny Gulch. A 21 pound specimen was caught there in the last week. Tip-ups with frozen smelt or shiners have been seeing the most action. Lake trout are being caught in deeper water on the main lake, around 90′, mostly on tip-ups with shiners. A beautiful 34″er was pulled out recently. Elsewhere, rainbow trout and bluegills are being caught off the south marina and boat launch areas suspended a few feet off the bottom and responding to red, gold, and white jigs tipped with panfish plastics or red maggots.
Sheridan Lake is seeing a decent perch, bluegill, and trout bite in bays or on muddy flats around the lake though the perch bite is slowing down as the fish head to their midwinter haunts scattered around the lake. A few pike are being caught in the bays on tip-ups with smelt on them. Deerfield Reservoir is seeing a good perch bite, especially if schools are found, but they are typically small and require a lot of shifting through if a meal of them is on the table. Rainbow trout are being caught in the bays of Gold Run, Dutchman boat launch, and Custer campground area and a few lake trout are being caught in deeper waters by the dam.
Stockade Lake is experiencing a good crappie and bluegill bite at present in anywhere from 8′ to 12′ of water, mostly in the northern bays or on the west side of the lake. Gold or pink 1/32 oz Pinhead spoons tipped with maggots has been a hot combination all winter for them, but gold, red, or chartreuse panfish jigs tipped with red or pink plastics have been working as well. A few pike are also showing up on tip-ups with shiners on them around the weedy areas of the west side and the north central bay area usually suspended over the weed patches in 4′ to 6′ of water.
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.