Spring Creek
South Dakota · Custer County — Black Hills, Sheridan Lake to Custer State Park
Brown TroutRainbow TroutBrook Trout
Top Fishing Locations on Spring Creek
Below Sheridan Lake Dam
The section of Spring Creek immediately below Sheridan Lake Dam is the most productive water on the creek — a self-sustaining wild rainbow trout fishery with exceptional hatch activity that local guides consistently rank among the finest trout fishing in the Black Hills. The dam creates ideal tailwater conditions with cold stable flows that support exceptional populations of aquatic invertebrates — the basis for the remarkable hatch diversity this section is known for. Baetis, caddis, PMDs, and tricos all produce consistent surface activity in the right seasons. The water does not get as high as Rapid Creek making it fishable virtually year-round. Pools and riffles every few hundred feet hold large fish at nearly every bend. Access via the Sheridan Lake area roads.
💧 Ideal flow: Spring Creek below Sheridan Lake maintains stable cold flows from the reservoir year-round. The combination of reservoir regulation and spring inputs keeps temperatures in the optimal range for trout through summer when many Black Hills streams warm. Check current conditions — the section can fish well even during dry summer months when other area streams drop.
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The Narrows — Custer State Park
The Narrows section of Spring Creek within Custer State Park is the most visually striking stretch of the creek — a tight canyon section requiring a hike to access but rewarding anglers with solitude and wild fish in spectacular scenery. The canyon walls close in around the creek creating the "narrows" that give this section its name. The fish here are less pressured than the more accessible sections and the wild rainbows and browns that hold in the deeper pools are more freely rising during hatch activity. The hike to reach The Narrows filters out casual visitors and leaves the serious angler essentially alone on quality water. A Custer State Park entrance fee is required.
💧 Ideal flow: The Narrows section is freestone in character below any direct reservoir influence. Best in early summer after runoff and again in fall when flows stabilize. The tight canyon character means this section wades differently than the open water above — be prepared for more technical wading.
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Grace Coolidge Campground Area
The Grace Coolidge Campground area in Custer State Park provides some of the most accessible fishing on Spring Creek — a walk-in section between Grace Coolidge Campground and Center Lake where rainbow, brown, and brook trout hold in good numbers. The campground location means this section sees more casual fishing pressure from campers but the water quality is excellent and the scenery — rolling Black Hills with wildlife including bison, pronghorn, and whitetail deer throughout the park — is exceptional. A Custer State Park entrance fee is required and a South Dakota fishing license is required.
💧 Ideal flow: Similar to The Narrows section, the Grace Coolidge area is best in early summer and fall. The campground provides easy access and the walk-in section gives anglers enough distance from the campground to find productive undisturbed water. Morning fishing before campground activity picks up is recommended.
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About Spring Creek Fishing
Spring Creek in the southern Black Hills of South Dakota is one of the most underappreciated trout streams in the region — a spring-fed creek that flows through Custer State Park and produces exceptional hatch activity that rivals any Black Hills fishery. The creek flows from the Sheridan Lake reservoir area southward through Custer State Park before eventually joining Battle Creek near the town of Custer. The section below Sheridan Lake Dam is considered one of the finest pieces of wild rainbow trout water in the Black Hills with documented hatches of Baetis, caddis, PMDs, and tricos producing consistent surface activity. Spring Creek does not get as high as Rapid Creek making it fishable virtually year-round — a significant advantage over many Black Hills streams that blow out during spring runoff.
Best Time to Fish Spring Creek
Year-round fishing is one of Spring Creek's defining advantages. The below-dam section stays fishable even during spring runoff when other Black Hills streams run high and off-color. Spring Baetis and caddis hatches from April through June are excellent. Summer PMD and caddis hatches continue into July. Trico hatches in late summer produce morning spinner falls that bring fish to the surface reliably. Fall is excellent throughout the creek as fish feed aggressively before winter. Custer State Park's wildlife is an added bonus in fall — bison rut in September makes for memorable streamside encounters.
Species
Wild rainbow trout are the signature species in the below-dam section with a naturally reproducing population that produces exceptional fish. Brown trout are present throughout the creek with the largest fish typically found in the deeper pools in The Narrows and Grace Coolidge sections. Brook trout exist in smaller numbers in the upper headwater tributaries.
Access and Regulations
Below Sheridan Lake: access via roads in the Sheridan Lake recreation area off Highway 385 south of Hill City. The Narrows: Custer State Park entrance required, hike in from park road — ask at the park entrance for current access information. Grace Coolidge Campground: Custer State Park entrance required, walk-in section between campground and Center Lake. South Dakota fishing license required. Custer State Park entrance fee required for all sections within park boundaries.
Live River Data
Streamflow data is pulled in real time from the USGS National Water Information System. Spring Creek is spring-fed and maintains more stable flows than many Black Hills freestone streams, particularly in the tailwater section below Sheridan Lake Dam.