Black Hills Area Fishing Report

With the area having recovered from the winter storm from a couple of weeks ago, ice fishermen are getting back out onto the hardwater as lake access has improved. With a pleasant weekend on tap, it will be a great time to get out and enjoy some time fishing through a hole in the ice.

More problematic, at least for the diehard iceheads, is that the nice weather is going to continue, for the most part, for the next 10 days or so, which could spell trouble for the ice and herald in the coming "icepocalypse". Let's hope that some cold weather returns. In the meantime, here's the current reports coming from some of the lakes in the area:

The walleye bite has picked up at Angostura with fishermen reporting some limits taken from 20' to 30' depths using minnows. With the coming warmer weather, be sure to use caution as lake access could become spotty when the shorelines begin to open.

Orman Dam is having that issue currently as the combination of the wind, snow from the storm, and the resultant mud banks, has made access to the lake extremely hard. The boat launch area has the best access, but that could change in a hurry with the warm weather on tap. Because of the conditions, no reports on the walleye bite are available at this moment.

The lakes within the Hills, however, are reporting good bites and unimpeded access. Pactola is seeing an ongoing Lake Trout bite off the north boat ramp area in 70' to 80' of water on silver spoons or shiners on dead sticks with most caught being on the small side. There is also Laker activity in the Bear Gulch area.

Deerfield is seeing an upswing in the perch bite around the Gold Run and Dutchman boat launch areas in 30' to 40' with red maggots and red plastics seeing the best luck. A few nice rainbow trout are showing up as well.

Sylvan and Roubaix Lakes have a hot Trout bite going on with jigs and pink plastics working best.

Sheridan and Stockade have very spotty perch bites going on with a few nice gills showing up on Stockade as well. Sheridan, as well as Lakota Lake, are also seeing some pike caught, mostly on the small side.

As the weather begins to turn towards spring, this month is the time to get out while the ice is still good and strong. As the days become warmer and the ice starts losing its thickness, the bite will also pick up, as the fish look to feed heavily after the winter months and in prep for the coming spawning season. So be sure to drill some holes and get out while you still can!