Black Hills Fishing Report July 7th 2015
Fishing has been good in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Higher water is still an issue on Rapid Creek and Spring Creek. However, warmer drier weather has been bringing flows down and we should see fishing conditions improve dramatically on Rapid Creek in the next 2 weeks. Spring Creek should drop to fishable levels by late this week or early next week. Stream fishing has been best on Castle Creek, Spearfish Creek, Crow Creek, Upper Whitewood Creek, and Sand Creek (just across the WY border). I did sneak down to French Creek and found some nice brook trout below Stockade Lake (along with a few browns and rainbows).
The best flies for streams are Jigged Tungsten Nymphs (Red Butts, Hare's Ears, and Prince Nymphs), small baetis nymphs (T.Ready, Two Bit Hookers, and tungsten psycho nymphs). Late evening Baetis and caddis are bringing fish up to top. Adult Cranefly patterns are a fun option to get some fish up on top.
Lakes are fishing quite well. Center Lake, Roubaix, Sylvan, and Deerfield have been the best lakes over the past week. Callibaetis hatches and late evening midge hatches are bringing fish to the surface. When fish aren't up on top fish black or olive mini leeches or red copper johns down deep.