Deerfield Reservoir fishing

Deerfield Reservoir fishing is stocked with Rainbow Trout, Splake, Lake Trout, and Walleye on a reservoir. Also recorded: Yellow Perch, Brook Trout, Rock Bass, White Sucker, and Golden Shiner. It is stocked about 6.9 times a year since 2012, most often in May and August. Species guides list dawn and dusk for Rainbow Trout, dawn for Lake Trout, and dawn, dusk, and night for Walleye and Rock Bass.

AI-generated illustration, not a photo of this lake
Last stocked
September 9, 2026
· Rainbow Trout
Plants on record
104
Since 2012
Species stocked
4 (+5 also recorded)
Average size
14 in
Surface acres
416
Elevation
5,902 ft

Fish at Deerfield Reservoir

4 stocked · 5 confirmed present

Rainbow Trout Stocked · 88 plants · last September 9, 2026 Best: dawn, dusk

Last stocked September 9, 2026 · avg 13 in · 88 plants

Best: dawn, dusk

Rainbow Trout species guide
Lake Trout Stocked · 10 plants · last November 14, 2023 Best: dawn

Last stocked November 14, 2023 · avg 25.1 in · 10 plants

Best: dawn

Lake Trout species guide
Walleye Stocked · 5 plants · last July 15, 2026 Best: dawn, dusk, night

Last stocked July 15, 2026 · 5 plants

Best: dawn, dusk, night

Walleye species guide
Splake Stocked · 1 plant · last October 18, 2012

Last stocked October 18, 2012 · 1 plant

Splake species guide

Deerfield Reservoir offers recreation such as ice fishing. The reservoir is created by Deerfield Dam within the Black Hills National Forest. The earthen dam was originally built by the United States Bureau of Reclamation. (en.wikipedia.org, accessed September 22, 2026)

Drafted by AI from the cited sources and checked before publishing.

How Deerfield Reservoir is stocked

Source: South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP).

About 750 reported fish per acre, the fewest of 3 lakes in Pennington County with both a fish count and a surface area.

Fish stocked in 2012

18,353

Fish stocked in 2013

12,000

Fish stocked in 2014

12,000

Fish stocked in 2015

12,735

Fish stocked in 2016

9,916

Fish stocked in 2017

9,687

Fish stocked in 2018

9,030

Fish stocked in 2019

7,190

Fish stocked in 2020

9,742

Fish stocked in 2021

9,172

Fish stocked in 2022

8,782

Fish stocked in 2023

13,954

Fish stocked in 2024

27,923

Fish stocked in 2025

88,386

Fish stocked in 2026

63,029

Stocking history

Source: South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP).
Date Species Quantity Avg. length Source
September 9, 2026Rainbow Trout39615.5 inreport
September 9, 2026Rainbow Trout88014.5 inreport
August 28, 2026Rainbow Trout1,40814.5 inreport
August 27, 2026Rainbow Trout1,40814.5 inreport
July 15, 2026Walleye24,737–report
June 11, 2026Walleye30,700–report
April 21, 2026Rainbow Trout1,16713 inreport
April 20, 2026Rainbow Trout47313 inreport
April 20, 2026Rainbow Trout1,86012.8 inreport
September 4, 2025Rainbow Trout46415.5 inreport
September 3, 2025Rainbow Trout1,90415.5 inreport
September 2, 2025Rainbow Trout1,08815.5 inreport
June 2, 2025Walleye80,930–report
May 7, 2025Rainbow Trout1,67713 inreport
May 5, 2025Rainbow Trout47013 inreport
May 5, 2025Rainbow Trout1,35314.5 inreport
April 25, 2025Walleye500–report
October 11, 2024Walleye6,318–report
August 13, 2024Rainbow Trout3,11212.6 inreport
August 12, 2024Rainbow Trout3,11212.6 inreport
July 29, 2024Rainbow Trout2,67811.2 inreport
July 29, 2024Rainbow Trout2,73711.4 inreport
July 23, 2024Rainbow Trout2,18411.2 inreport
July 23, 2024Rainbow Trout3,47211 inreport
May 6, 2024Rainbow Trout1,49415.2 inreport
May 1, 2024Rainbow Trout2,81615.5 inreport
November 16, 2023Rainbow Trout1,26713 inreport
November 14, 2023Lake Trout286–report
November 6, 2023Lake Trout250–report
November 1, 2023Rainbow Trout3,15013 inreport
August 18, 2023Rainbow Trout2,41514.5 inreport
August 17, 2023Rainbow Trout2,08614.5 inreport
June 2, 2023Rainbow Trout95115.2 inreport
May 10, 2023Rainbow Trout1,76412.8 inreport
May 5, 2023Rainbow Trout1,78512.6 inreport
September 19, 2022Rainbow Trout1,21812.4 inreport
August 31, 2022Rainbow Trout64517 inreport
August 31, 2022Rainbow Trout67615.2 inreport
August 30, 2022Rainbow Trout48915.2 inreport
August 29, 2022Rainbow Trout1,73215.2 inreport
June 3, 2022Rainbow Trout53015.2 inreport
June 2, 2022Rainbow Trout53015.2 inreport
June 1, 2022Rainbow Trout53015.2 inreport
May 18, 2022Rainbow Trout64914 inreport
May 17, 2022Rainbow Trout64914 inreport
May 13, 2022Rainbow Trout56714.5 inreport
May 12, 2022Rainbow Trout56714.5 inreport
November 4, 2021Rainbow Trout1,50012.8 inreport
October 28, 2021Rainbow Trout3,07812.6 inreport
May 27, 2021Rainbow Trout90014 inreport
May 11, 2021Rainbow Trout1,84715.2 inreport
May 10, 2021Rainbow Trout1,84715.2 inreport
November 5, 2020Rainbow Trout1,76013 inreport
November 4, 2020Rainbow Trout3,06612.6 inreport
May 8, 2020Rainbow Trout2,33215 inreport
May 7, 2020Rainbow Trout1,66615 inreport
May 6, 2020Rainbow Trout91811 inreport
August 21, 2019Rainbow Trout1,34515 inreport
August 20, 2019Rainbow Trout1,34515 inreport
June 5, 2019Rainbow Trout1,63611 inreport
May 31, 2019Rainbow Trout1,43215 inreport
May 30, 2019Rainbow Trout1,43215 inreport
August 30, 2018Rainbow Trout1,15215.2 inreport
August 29, 2018Rainbow Trout1,64215.2 inreport
August 27, 2018Rainbow Trout1,64215.2 inreport
May 16, 2018Rainbow Trout1,07112.2 inreport
May 15, 2018Rainbow Trout2,52012.2 inreport
May 15, 2018Rainbow Trout1,00312.4 inreport
October 30, 2017Rainbow Trout1,10211 inreport
August 29, 2017Rainbow Trout3,69411 inreport
June 6, 2017Rainbow Trout1,12911 inreport
June 5, 2017Rainbow Trout3,76211 inreport
September 22, 2016Lake Trout40030 inreport
August 25, 2016Rainbow Trout2,50811 inreport
August 18, 2016Rainbow Trout2,50811 inreport
May 10, 2016Rainbow Trout4,50011 inreport
November 17, 2015Lake Trout16623.5 inreport
November 17, 2015Lake Trout14523.5 inreport
November 10, 2015Lake Trout6623.5 inreport
November 10, 2015Lake Trout4823.5 inreport
November 4, 2015Lake Trout4023.5 inreport
November 4, 2015Lake Trout21023.5 inreport
September 1, 2015Rainbow Trout3,00011 inreport
July 7, 2015Rainbow Trout3,00011 inreport
June 2, 2015Rainbow Trout3,00011 inreport
April 29, 2015Lake Trout6030 inreport
April 21, 2015Rainbow Trout3,00011 inreport
September 4, 2014Rainbow Trout3,56711 inreport
September 3, 2014Rainbow Trout2,43311 inreport
June 3, 2014Rainbow Trout3,00011 inreport
May 19, 2014Rainbow Trout3,00011 inreport
September 24, 2013Rainbow Trout2,00011 inreport
September 9, 2013Rainbow Trout2,00011 inreport
August 12, 2013Rainbow Trout2,00011 inreport
July 9, 2013Rainbow Trout2,00011 inreport
June 3, 2013Rainbow Trout2,00011 inreport
May 15, 2013Rainbow Trout2,00011 inreport
October 18, 2012Splake5,853–report
October 3, 2012Rainbow Trout2,00011 inreport
September 14, 2012Rainbow Trout2,50011 inreport
August 17, 2012Rainbow Trout2,00011 inreport
July 11, 2012Rainbow Trout2,00011 inreport
June 12, 2012Rainbow Trout2,00011 inreport
May 1, 2012Rainbow Trout2,00011 inreport

Access and facts

Water type
reservoir
Nearest town
Hill City
Facilities
camping

A 171-foot earthen dam on Castle Creek forms this Black Hills National Forest reservoir, 22 miles northwest of Hill City via Deerfield Road (Hwy 17). GFP's lake map shows a boat ramp; three USFS campgrounds, including Dutchman and Whitetail, sit above the shore, and a 10-mile trail circles the lake.

Drafted by AI from the cited sources and checked before publishing.

View larger map · Open in Google Maps · Directions

Advisories, closures, regulations and water conditions change. Check the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) before you go.

Nearest lakes

Pactola Reservoir 14.8 mi last stocked September 9, 2026 Sylvan Lake 16.8 mi last stocked September 10, 2026 Sheridan Lake 17 mi last stocked May 21, 2026 Belle Fourche Reservoir 49.1 mi last stocked May 8, 2026 Angostura Reservoir 50.5 mi last stocked April 24, 2026

Common questions

What fish are at Deerfield Reservoir?

Fishing Deerfield Reservoir usually means Rainbow Trout: Rainbow Trout accounts for 88 of 104 plants on record, ahead of Lake Trout and 2 more. Rainbow Trout was last stocked September 9, 2026, averaging 13 in. Lake Trout was last stocked November 14, 2023, averaging 25.1 in. Walleye was last stocked July 15, 2026. Splake was last stocked October 18, 2012. Yellow Perch, Brook Trout, Rock Bass, and White Sucker, plus 1 more are recorded here outside the stocking reports.

When is Deerfield Reservoir stocked?

Last stocked September 9, 2026. It is stocked about 6.9 times a year since 2012, most often in May and August. About 750 reported fish per acre, the fewest of 3 lakes in Pennington County with both a fish count and a surface area.

How big are the fish stocked at Deerfield Reservoir?

Stocked fish average 14 in. Rainbow Trout average 13 in. Lake Trout average 25.1 in.

How do you get on Deerfield Reservoir?

The nearest town is Hill City. Facilities include camping. A 171-foot earthen dam on Castle Creek forms this Black Hills National Forest reservoir, 22 miles northwest of Hill City via Deerfield Road (Hwy 17). GFP's lake map shows a boat ramp; three USFS campgrounds, including Dutchman and Whitetail, sit above the shore, and a 10-mile trail circles the lake.

Which lakes near Deerfield Reservoir were stocked more recently?

Sylvan Lake (16.8 mi) was stocked more recently. Sylvan Lake is also stocked with Rainbow Trout.

Sources (7) +