The weather swings right now are leaving many guessing as to what will happen next! The region has seen many days in the 50s and 60s, then the weather changes at the drop of a dime and is in the low 30s the next day and stays that way for a few days. Fish patterns seem to be following suit, with unpredictable bites happening around the region. Some lakes still have accessible ice to get on, mostly the higher elevation ones, while the vast majority of lakes are opening up or have already been open for a week or more now. Even for this area, the weather swings have been extreme. With these conditions in mind, here’s the current fishing report for the Black Hills region:
Angostura and Belle Fourche Reservoirs are open, but the boat docks are not in yet. This hasn’t kept intrepid open water enthusiasts from trying to find a walleye or two that will bite. But the water temperatures are still pretty cold in the lakes and bite has been very, very slow to almost non-existent. A few pike have been showing up in the channel area at Belle Fourche, but not much else.
The larger lakes in the Hills have opened up. Aside from ice in the Jenny Gulch area, Pactola Reservoir is nearly all the way open. No docks in yet and only a few hardcore people in boats have been on the lakes. Rainbow trout are being caught along the shores on the south side, mostly using minnows and slip bobbers since the water is still really cold. Some warmer days could change their attitudes. No reports coming from Sheridan or Stockade since they just lost the last of their ice recently. The pike bite on both could start to take off once the water warms up a good amount. Deerfield is, as always, the lone holdout for ice, with the entire lake still covered in 18″ of good ice, although some shoreline edges are starting to open up here and there. Wheeler traffic is still happening although about the only thing biting are small perch and brook trout, of which there is plenty! Good place for kids to go right now as long as the access remains good since the perch will bite all day without a lot of effort.
Most of the small trout lakes have opened up for shore or kayak fishing such as Center, Lakota, Legion, Horsethief, and Bismarck, but Sylvan and Iron Creek remain ice covered with 14″ of good ice and solid access. Both had decent trout bites this past weekend going on with panfish jigs and white or red plastics bringing them in. If casting from shore is what you’re looking for on these lakes, Lil’ Jakes spoons or hair jigs below a slip bobber are working at present.
For more information on the Black Hills region including fishing tips, trips, or bite reports, contact Scott Olson at dr.auger81@hotmail.com or through his website, drauger81.wixsite.com/drauger81.