Most people drive to the Black Hills of South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore, and many realize halfway through the trip that they should have packed a fly rod. In this episode I sat down with Pete of Finn Provisions, a Spearfish-based guide service and fly shop, to talk about a pocket of the country that stays quiet, stays wild, and offers some of the most entertaining hopper fishing you will find anywhere.
The water: Spearfish Canyon and beyond
Our guest bases his guiding in Spearfish, in the northern Black Hills, and describes Spearfish Creek as his home water. As he tells it, the canyon has not been stocked since the 1960s, so the trout you catch there are wild, and they eat dry flies with real enthusiasm. The creek is classic pocket water, lush and scenic, with waterfalls up the canyon, and parts of it even run underground. You can walk to fishable water from town. Other Black Hills streams such as Rapid Creek and Spring Creek fish differently, with some stretches managed as put-and-take and others set aside as fly-only or catch-and-release, so check the current regulations before you go.
Pressure is light compared with famous western rivers. Because so many visitors come for the sightseeing rather than the fishing, you can often spend a day without seeing another angler.
Respect the place you visit
One idea from the conversation is worth repeating. Just because you fish a certain way at home does not mean you should fish that way somewhere new. Learn the water laws, avoid hot-spotting fragile places, and treat other anglers well. Research has never been easier, and a few minutes with a good access map saves hours of guessing.
How to fish hoppers in the Black Hills
Terrestrial fishing here is outstanding. Hopper season gets going around July and really peaks in August, with big grasshoppers that can be thumb-sized on the hook. Here is the approach we discussed:
Start with a single large hopper. A dropper is available if the fishing is slow, but the hopper alone usually does the job, and smaller terrestrials such as beetles and flying ants also work, even early in the season. Your rod does not need to be fancy; a medium-weight rod in the 8 to 8 and a half foot range handles big, wind-resistant flies. Then fish it like a streamer: read cover, drop the fly into pockets and along banks, and if nothing responds, keep walking. You will cover a lot of water, and moving fish tend to find the angler who keeps moving. If you are getting looks but no commitment, adjust your presentation, because adaptability matters more than any one pattern.
Gear
Bring a few hopper patterns in different sizes, a sturdy leader, and a rod you can turn over big flies with. Our Tips and Tricks for Fly Fishing eBook covers rigging ideas that work well for dry-dropper and terrestrial setups, and our five panel cap is handy for sun and glare on those open summer days. For local hopper patterns and current conditions, stop into a fly shop in Spearfish.
