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Sheridan Lake Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 11, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

A Black Hills reservoir: Sheridan Lake holds trout, perch and pike in ponderosa country.

4/5

Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Water temp

~54 F est.

Air / High

64 / 79 F

Wind

WNW 9 mph

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

Satellite view

Friday

11

September 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.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Sheridan Lake feels the season turning: shorter days, grouping fish. Today brings cloud cover, wind WNW around 9 mph, falling pressure near 998 hPa and a high of 79. Water sits around 54 F for the season (estimated). With the new moon, the solunar majors run 11:32 PM-1:32 AM and 11:32 AM-1:32 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutExcellent

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutExcellent

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Cooler at 64 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 12, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

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 →

Chasing rainbow trout here? Check the size and bag limits with SD GFP before you keep anything.

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.

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp64 F

High / Low79 / 52 F

WindWNW 9-16 mph

Pressure998.2 hPa, falling

Sky / Rain100% cloud, 2%

Sunrise / Sunset06:29 / 19:11

MoonNew Moon, 0%

Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

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

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 11 · Showers, 79/52 F, wind 15 mph, rain 2%

Fair or better. A 15 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

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

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

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

Brown trout

SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

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

Thu, Sep 10

2/5 Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 83 F, wind to 12 mph.

Wed, Sep 9

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 75 F, wind to 13 mph.

Tue, Sep 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 78 F, wind to 9 mph.

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

South Dakota license. Trout, pike and perch limits per current GFP regulations; national forest recreation fees and motor restrictions apply.

Access

Sheridan Lake Recreation Area boat ramps, camping and shoreline off Highway 385.

About this water

A 375-acre reservoir on Spring Creek in the Black Hills National Forest, Pennington County, South Dakota.

Fishing Sheridan Lake: the full guide

A lake in the pines

Sheridan Lake covers about 375 acres on Spring Creek in the Black Hills National Forest southwest of Rapid City, ringed by ponderosa pine and granite. It is stocked with rainbow trout and also holds northern pike, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and splake, making it one of the more varied fisheries in the Black Hills.

Trout and perch

Rainbow trout are stocked regularly and taken from the bank on bait, and by trolling and casting from boats. Yellow perch are abundant and provide fast action, particularly through the ice. The lake fishes well from shore given the developed access, which makes it a good option without a boat.

Pike and bass

Northern pike hold the weedy upper end and the shallower coves and take spoons, spinnerbaits and large plastics. Smallmouth work the rocky shoreline and the granite structure. Winter ice fishing is popular for perch and pike, and the elevation keeps the lake cool through summer when the plains bake.

Pennington County logistics

Sheridan Lake Recreation Area provides boat ramps, a swimming beach, camping and day-use sites off Highway 385, twenty minutes from Rapid City. Motor restrictions apply: check current rules. Pactola Reservoir and Deerfield are nearby alternatives, and the Black Hills streams add small-water trout fishing.

Common questions

Are there pike?

Yes: northern pike hold the weedy upper end and shallower coves, taken on spoons and large plastics.

Can I fish from shore?

Yes: developed access around the recreation area makes bank fishing genuinely productive here.

What is nearby?

Pactola Reservoir and Deerfield Reservoir, plus the Black Hills trout streams within a short drive.

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: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Pactola Reservoir9 mi Angostura Reservoir43 mi Belle Fourche Reservoir53 mi Glendo Reservoir125 mi Lake Oahe160 mi Merritt Reservoir164 mi

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