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Sheridan Lake Fishing Report

Updated Mon, Nov 9, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

A Forest Service lake on Spring Creek southwest of Rapid City, stocked with rainbow trout and walleye, with largemouth bass, perch, crappie and bluegill.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Water temp
~41 F est.
Air / High
42 / 59 F
Wind
WNW 1 mph

Sources: Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Monday
9
November 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Sheridan Lake asks for patience today: short windows, precise presentations. Today brings clear skies, wind WNW around 1 mph, steady pressure near 1017 hPa and a high of 59. Water sits around 41 F for the season (estimated). With the new moon, the solunar majors run 11:22 PM-1:22 AM and 10:58 AM-12:58 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutGood

In cold water rainbows use the deepest pools in rivers (Vermont), so slow, deep drifts there are the usual approach; Michigan DNR notes lake rainbows are also taken with bait or by jigging through the ice.

CrappieGood

Bites slow; a minnow or small jig fished slowly near deeper cover is the usual approach, and through the ice where lakes freeze.

WalleyeGood

Spawning runs begin soon after ice-out in the high 30s to mid 40s Β°F; before that, slow presentations with live bait in deep, low-current wintering areas and below dams.

Northern pikeGood

Ice season: tip-ups with live bait near weed beds; where water stays open, slow live-bait presentations.

Yellow perchGood

Ice season. Perch stay active under the ice in both shallow and deeper water, so small jigs or spoons tipped with live bait over known winter areas are the usual approach.

Largemouth bassFair

Below about 50Β°F feeding slows sharply, Iowa DNR notes; use small, slow baits near deep cover and fish the warmest part of the day.

Smallmouth bassFair

Fish hold in slower, deeper water; fish slowly and expect fewer bites until spring warming.

Tomorrow: Similar at 58 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Tue, Nov 10, 6:30 AMHow this report is made β†’

Before you go

South Dakota requires a fishing licence from age 16, from $41.00 for residents. What a South Dakota licence costs and where to buy it β†’

Chasing rainbow trout here? Check the size and bag limits with SD GFP before you keep anything. The season dates for South Dakota, read off the agency, are on the South Dakota seasons page.

Water and weather

Live readings.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovNov, ~41 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp42 F
High / Low59 / 39 F
WindWNW 1-6 mph
Pressure1016.6 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain0% cloud, 0%
Sunrise / Sunset06:41 / 16:33
MoonNew Moon, 0%
Water temp (seasonal)~41 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Which day to fish Sheridan Lake this week

The best day on Sheridan Lake this week looks like Tuesday Nov 10, at 4 out of 5, against 3 today.

Best day this week: Tuesday, Nov 10 β€” good at 4/5, falling pressure, usually the best window of a week.

Today, Nov 9 β€” Fair

A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Solunar majors
11:22 PM-1:22 AM and 10:58 AM-12:58 PM
Minor period
7:00 AM-8:00 AM
Sun
06:41 to 16:33
Moon
New Moon, 0% lit
Sky and wind
Overcast, 8 mph
Rain chance
0%

Forecast-based scores, less reliable further out: how the score is built.

Species guide

The species that matter on Sheridan Lake: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Spring and fall in most lakes; rivers fish year-round while the water stays cool

A cold-water trout native to Pacific drainages from Alaska to Baja California, now stocked in most states and fished in rivers, tailwaters and lakes. In cold water rainbows use the deepest pools in rivers (Vermont), so slow, deep drifts there are the usual approach; Michigan DNR notes lake rainbows are also taken with bait or by jigging through the ice.

Largemouth bass illustration

Largemouth bass

Best: the spring pre-spawn and the fall feed

A warm-water sunfish of lakes, reservoirs, ponds and slow river backwaters that holds tight to cover: weeds, logs, rock ledges and docks. In Texas, TPWD surveys rank it "by far" the freshwater fish anglers most want to catch. Below about 50Β°F feeding slows sharply, Iowa DNR notes; use small, slow baits near deep cover and fish the warmest part of the day.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: spring and fall, when bigger fish come shallow

A bronze-brown black bass of clear, cool streams and rocky lakes, with dark vertical bars instead of a side stripe. Michigan DNR says its southeastern coast, from Port Huron to Lake Erie, is known nationally for both the size and the number of its smallmouth. Fish hold in slower, deeper water; fish slowly and expect fewer bites until spring warming.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: the spring spawn; summer around docks, brush and the thermocline

Two slab-sided panfish, the white crappie and the black crappie, that gather around submerged timber, brush piles, docks and bridge pilings in lakes, reservoirs and slow river backwaters. Texas Parks and Wildlife counts crappie as the state's most popular panfish. Bites slow; a minnow or small jig fished slowly near deeper cover is the usual approach, and through the ice where lakes freeze.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: spring and late fall, around dawn, dusk and night

A cool-water perch of large lakes, reservoirs and rivers whose reflective eyes are built for low light, so it feeds most at night and in murky water. The Missouri Department of Conservation ranks it among the continent's most important freshwater game fish. Spawning runs begin soon after ice-out in the high 30s to mid 40s Β°F; before that, slow presentations with live bait in deep, low-current wintering areas and below dams.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: cool water, from ice-out through spring, in fall and under the ice

A long, duck-billed predator of weedy lakes, slow rivers and backwaters that ambushes fish from vegetation. Wisconsin DNR points out that, unlike most of the state's common game fish, pike do their best feeding in cool water. Ice season: tip-ups with live bait near weed beds; where water stays open, slow live-bait presentations.

Yellow perch illustration

Yellow perch

Caught all year, including under the ice through winter

Yellow perch are schooling panfish of the Great Lakes and northern lakes, and Michigan DNR calls them the game fish most often caught in that state. Ice season. Perch stay active under the ice in both shallow and deeper water, so small jigs or spoons tipped with live bait over known winter areas are the usual approach.

When to come: the Sheridan Lake calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rainbow trout
Largemouth bass
Smallmouth bass
Crappie
Walleye
Northern pike
Yellow perch
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 41 F (estimated, not a reading).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovNov, ~41 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Sheridan Lake today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Sun, Nov 8

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 68 F, wind to 15 mph.

Sat, Nov 7

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 63 F, wind to 11 mph.

Fri, Nov 6

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 60 F, wind to 9 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

South Dakota requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

A South Dakota fishing license is required; see the current SD GFP fishing handbook for Sheridan Lake limits.

Access

Two boat ramps; Forest Service fee areas at the north-side marina, the south-side campground and the southwest day-use area (GFP 2015 plan).

About this water

A 370-acre Forest Service reservoir on Spring Creek, Black Hills National Forest, Pennington County, South Dakota (GFP 2024 survey).

Fishing Sheridan Lake: the full guide

Built for recreation

Sheridan Lake was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration purely for recreation: dam work began in 1938 and the lake filled in 1940, according to SD Game, Fish and Parks' Black Hills reservoir plan. The Forest Service owns and operates the lake and dam. GFP's 2024 survey gives 370 acres and places it on Spring Creek, 20 miles southwest of Rapid City on Sheridan Lake Road.

What the 2024 survey found

Most anglers fish for rainbow trout, largemouth bass and yellow perch, GFP says. It stocked 32,548 rainbow trout averaging 15 inches in 2024, and has stocked walleye since 2017 (70,191 juveniles and 224,400 fry in 2024). Night electrofishing caught 62 largemouth an hour, mostly 10 to 17 inches with several near 20. Perch numbers have fallen since bluegill appeared in 2015, and smallmouth bass are scarce.

Other fish

GFP's list of common species also includes black crappie, bluegill, northern pike, rock bass, black bullhead, white sucker and rudd. Crappie in the 2024 nets ran 8 to 10 inches.

Facilities and fees

GFP's 2015 plan describes two boat ramps and Forest Service entry fees at the north-side marina, the south-side camping area and the southwest day-use area, with parking lots that fill on summer weekends. Boating, water skiing, swimming and personal watercraft are all allowed on the lake.

Common questions

Is Sheridan Lake stocked?

Yes. GFP stocks rainbow trout every year and has stocked walleye since 2017.

Are there northern pike?

GFP lists pike among the lake's fish, but as a secondary species; anglers mostly target trout, largemouth and perch.

How big is Sheridan Lake?

GFP's 2024 survey gives 370 acres; its 2015 management plan gave 383.

Is fishing good at Sheridan Lake right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Pactola Reservoir7 miAngostura Reservoir44 miBelle Fourche Reservoir53 miGlendo Reservoir126 miLake Oahe155 miMerritt Reservoir161 mi

Where this page's numbers come from

Weather and pressure
Open-Meteo forecast model
Queried at 43.9734, -103.4657 in this water's own timezone. A model, not an observation.
Moon and solunar windows
Calculated on this site
Astronomical calculation from these coordinates and the date, not a third-party feed. How much weight it deserves.
Pages checked
The facts in the written guide were checked against these pages, from the agencies and operators that manage the water, on October 5, 2026. Anything we could not verify was taken out.
The written guide on this page
Pablo Ruiz Quintero
How this page was made. The daily report is computed by our scoring engine from live readings; nobody types it. The written text was drafted with AI assistance from the official pages listed above, and its facts were checked against those pages by automated verification on October 5, 2026; anything that could not be verified was taken out. Pablo Ruiz Quintero sets every guideline, the data-verification system and the minimum standards a page must meet to be published, reviews page structure and approves what goes live; the responsibility is his, and the AI carries out the work. We work this way because it is how one person can keep every page current with named sources. Errors are published in the verification log; the full policy is in the editorial policy.

Readings refresh on a 30-minute window. The full method, with every figure and its source, is on how our reports are made. Something wrong here? Tell us and it goes in the log with the date.