Black Hills Fishing Report 5/22/13
Fishing has been good to excellent in most streams. Recent rains have cause some flooding in the northern Black Hills. Fishing will be best in the central hills for the next several days.
Rapid Creek
In Town - Fishing is good, and will get better as the flows increase. Flows were not impacted by recent rains. Clear water conditions are the norm below Pactola down through town. In town the fish are eager to feed on top. Good numbers of fish rising to midges in the morning and to Baetis and a few caddis in the afternoon/evening.
Good nymphs include Tungsten San Juans, Tungsten Psychos, T Ready Baetis, Tungsten Bruised Purple & PMD, small pheasant tails, Killer Mayfly nymphs, and UV Czechs and Amexes. Terrestrials are also working well - Beetles, Loco Beetles, Big Secret Crickets, and small Grand Hoppers are working. For dries, Barr's Viz-A-Dun BWO, BWO Thorax Dun, Sparkle Duns, No-Hackles, and Brook's Sprout Emerger are producing good numbers of fish. For Streamers, small Sculpzillas and Mini Leeches are working well.
Below Pactola - The low flows are making the fish picky, but they can still be caught. Small Bubble Backs, Black Beauties, Bloodworms, Tungsten San Juans, Tungsten Bruised Purples, UV Czechs, Amexes, and Two Bit Hookers are good bets for subsurface action. The fish will eat dries, but small and olive or black is the ticket. size 20-22 Sparkle Duns, Comparaduns, Parachute BWOs, and Morgan's Midges are tricking the rising fish into eating. Streamers can wake some of the bigger fish up, with Dungeons, Circus Peanuts, and Home Invaders producing the biggest fish.
Silver City - A little high and off color due to recent rains. Should come down in the next few days. Fishing with large nymphs and streamers should be productive until the water drops.
Castle Creek
Fishing is good above and below Deerfield Reservoir. Good fishing just above the lake with nymphs- fish don’t seem particularly picky as to patterns. Below the dam the fish are a bit spooky, but be persistant and keep a low profile and you will fool some fish. Hatches of Little Black Stoneflies and Blue Winged Olives continue downstream of Deerfield Reservoir.
Spearfish Creek
Very High and Off Color. Flows jumped from 75 cfs to almost 700 cfs over the past 3 days. Flows are down to the mid 300 cfs range as of this morning. Should drop steadily provided no thunderstorms drop additional rains this weekend.
Spring Creek- Had a tough summer in 2012. A few fish made it through the tough conditions. In addition the GF&P has stocked the stream. Good fishing as long as flows hold up.
French Creek
We have heard reports of decent fishing in the area around the Blue Bell Lodge. More info as we get it.
Box Elder Creek
Decent fishing around Steamboat Rock. Better numbers of fish the higher up you go.
Lakes
Center, Sylvan, Roubaix, Pactola and Sheridan are fishing well for trout, with small Sculpzillas, Mini Leeches, and Wooly Buggers are working well. The rising fish will eat size 14-18 Parachute Adams, Callibaetis, and Sparkle Duns trick the rising fish well.
Fishing has been good to excellent in most streams. Recent rains have cause some flooding in the northern Black Hills. Fishing will be best in the central hills for the next several days.
