Black Hills Fishing Report April 23rd 2013
Rapid Creek
In Town - The BWO hatch continues to be outstanding, with good numbers of fish on the surface between 10 and 3 or so. The fish are very willing to eat dries, with good BWO patterns being CDC Thorax Dun, Barr's Vis-A-Dun, Klinkhamers, Parachute Adams, F-Flies, Sparkle Duns, and Brook's Sprout Emergers in size 14-20. The nymphing in town has also been excellent, with the fish being very wiling to eat slightly bigger nymphs than normal with the slight runoff. size 12-16 Tungsten San Juans, North Fork Special, UV Czechs, Amex Pinks, Tungsten Psychos, Tungsten Sunkist, Tung Bruiser, and Pink Squirrels being great lead flies. Drop a smaller size 16-20 Psycho, Tungsten Ready Baetis nymph, Two Bit Hooker, Bubble Back, WD-40, RS2, T-Midge, or small Hot Spot Pheasant Tail being a solid bet for a dropper fly. Small Streamers have been producing good numbers of fish as well, with the Kreelex being my best pattern so far, as well as Sculpzillas, Home Invaders, and Vanilla buggers being other solid bets for the bigger fish. Below Pactola - Fishing has been good, with increasing numbers of fish rising during the warmest parts of the day. Good BWO hatches, with good BWO patterns being CDC Thorax Dun, Barr's Vis-A-Dun, Klinkhamers, Parachute Adams, F-Flies, Sparkle Duns, and Brook's Sprout Emergers in size 14-20. Nymphing is your best bet for numbers, with Tungsten San Juans, UV Czechs, and Egg patterns being great flies for fish scavenging in the shallower runs and riffles. For the more selective fish, T. Ready Baetis Nymphs, Tungsten Psychos, Bubble Backs, UV Midges, Pinkies, Amex Pinks, Tung Bruiser, and Bloodworms being good choices. Streamers, as always, are producing the biggest fish out of the catch and release area, with Kraft's Kreelex, Sculpzilla, Home Invaders, Dungeons, and Bottoms Up's being good bets.
Spearfish Creek
The spring Little Black Stonefly hatch has begun, with great numbers of fish being caught on the surface throughout the canyon. Small Black Parachutes, Black F-Flies, and even small black midge patterns are producing well. For nymphs, black is definitely your best option. Black Tungsten Psychos, Black Copper Johns, and small Black Hare's Ears are producing well with a smaller midge larva trailed behind. Also, BWO Nymphs are producing well, with Two Bit Hookers and the new Tung Bruiser producing well. The fishing in town is also excellent, with larger flies producing well. The best bets for flies have been Tungsten San Juans, Psychos, Copper Johns, Egg patterns, and Tung Teasers. Dropper patterns include Bubble Backs, UV Midges, T. Ready Baetis Nymphs, Amex Pinks, and Two Bits.