Spring Creek Fishing Guides
A Black Hills limestone creek near Keystone, spring-fed and stable, holding wild brown trout within sight of the tourist traffic.
Guides on the Spring Creek
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About the Spring Creek
Spring Creek rises in the central Black Hills and runs east past Keystone, through the hills toward Sheridan Lake and eventually out onto the plains near Rapid City. The name is earned rather than decorative: the creek gains a substantial part of its flow from limestone springs in the Madison and Minnelusa formations, and that groundwater input gives it a stability of flow and temperature that a surface-fed mountain stream in this country would not have.
That stability is what makes it a trout stream worth driving to. The Black Hills sit in an otherwise dry part of the continent, and many streams here run thin and warm by late summer. Spring Creek holds up. The gauge near Keystone reports discharge and stage, and while the creek does spike after the heavy spring and early summer thunderstorms that this region gets, it returns to a fishable level quickly and then holds it. Reading the gauge before a trip is mostly about avoiding the day or two after a storm.
Brown trout are the principal fish and are largely wild and self-sustaining in the better reaches, holding under the cut banks, against the limestone ledges and in the deeper pools beneath the pines. Rainbows are present and supported by stocking in the more accessible water. Brook trout occupy the colder upper reaches and the smaller feeder springs. The fishing is small-stream work with a careful approach, and the creek rewards anglers willing to walk away from the road crossings. Keystone itself is the gateway town for Mount Rushmore and is extremely busy through the summer, which is worth planning around: the tourist season affects traffic and lodging far more than it affects the fishing.
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Access
Keystone - the town on the creek, with lodging, food and the gauge reference point, though very busy in summer.
Sheridan Lake - the reservoir downstream on the creek, offering trout, perch and bass on the same trip.
Rapid Creek - the larger Black Hills trout stream to the north, the region's best-known fishery.
Hill City - a short drive west, with services and access to the upper hills water.
Mount Rushmore - the monument above Keystone, the reason for the summer traffic through town.
Custer State Park - south of the creek, with several trout waters and extensive public access.
Rapid City - the regional centre east, with full services, tackle and lodging.
Seasons
Spring: snowmelt and storms keep it high and coloured at times, but it fishes well between events as it warms.
Summer: the creek's real strength, holding cool and steady on spring flow while the tourist traffic ignores it.
Fall: excellent, with brown trout colouring up and moving to spawn, and the hills empty of visitors.
Winter: cold and often iced in the open reaches, though spring-fed sections stay open and fish on mild days.
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Questions
What species can you catch on the Spring Creek?
Anglers target Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Creek Chub, Rainbow Trout, White Sucker on the Spring Creek in South Dakota.
Where can you access the Spring Creek?
Keystone - the town on the creek, with lodging, food and the gauge reference point, though very busy in summer. Sheridan Lake - the reservoir downstream on the creek, offering trout, perch and bass on the same trip. Rapid Creek - the larger Black Hills trout stream to the north, the region's best-known fishery. Hill City - a short drive west, with services and access to the upper hills water. Mount Rushmore - the monument above Keystone, the reason for the summer traffic through town. Custer State Park - south of the creek, with several trout waters and extensive public access. Rapid City - th...
When is the best time to fish the Spring Creek?
Spring: snowmelt and storms keep it high and coloured at times, but it fishes well between events as it warms. Summer: the creek's real strength, holding cool and steady on spring flow while the tourist traffic ignores it. Fall: excellent, with brown trout colouring up and moving to spawn, and the hills empty of visitors. Winter: cold and often iced in the open reaches, though spring-fed sections stay open and fish on mild days.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Spring Creek?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the South Dakota agency site: https://gfp.sd.gov/pages/regulations/