Pactola Reservoir has been the hot lake to hit lately, as lakers are being caught at a consistent rate on deadsticks with shiners, Clam Leech Flutter spoons, and the occasional big jig rigged with a plastic grub or tube. Deerfield has a good perch bite happening near the dam and on the west side in 40' of water, but searching is involved to find the schools. The laker bite has been nearly non-existent. Orman continues to have a good walleye bite in the morning and evening with some good crappie and perch mixed in as well. Angostura has a spotty walleye bite, but the crappie action near the marinas has been pretty good. The trout lakes (Sylvan, Mitchell, Lakota, Roubaix) have reported decent trout bites on maggots or powerbait. Lakota also is having a decent pike bite with shiners the main ticket. Stockade reports have slowed, but decent bluegill bites were reported earlier as well as pike on the north and east shorelines. Sheridan has a tough perch bite going on, as evident during the annual ice fishing tournament there last weekend. Most of the action is in 30'-40' of water on maggots and vertical jigs. Some good rainbow trout are being caught as well.

2.17 Update

Although the weather is unseasonably warm, the lakes around the Hills still have good ice on them for the time being. Access, however, will be difficult on some lakes as the sun continues to beat down on the ice for the next week till colder weather returns. The lake trout bite on Pactola has slowed down and access to the main body of the lake will be sketchy in places. The bays are still going strong for a bluegill bite. On Sheridan, the perch bite is still tough and the fish are still in over 30' of water although Dakota Point was seeing some good crappie activity recently. Shoreline access at Orman and Angostura is getting harder as the temps rise and the ice on Angostura itself may not last. There was a slow walleye bite reported at both places, mostly near the dams on each. Stockade and Lakota Lakes are seeing a pike bite happening in 8'-15' of water. On Deerfield, the perch are still biting in 35-40' of water.....if you can find the schools. Laker action has largely subsided. Trout lakes (Mitchell, Lakota, Sylvan, Center) are still reporting good ice and decent bites.

3.3 Update

The prairie lakes (Orman and Angostura) are nearly all the way open now, but the bite has been nearly non-existent at both places. Pactola is not accessible except back in Jenny Gulch and even there, access to the ice might require a plank. However, a decent pike and trout bite is ongoing there. Most of the other Hills lakes still have good ice on them, particularly Deerfield where a perch bite is still going strong and a few lakers are showing up here and there as well. Stockade still has good ice on it, though the bluegill and perch bite is a bit slow as is the pike bite. Sheridan still has decent ice on it at least along the 385 bay with crappie and perch still being caught in 35' of water. Trout lakes still have reports of active bites and solid ice. With the coming warm temps, some lakes may start to lose shoreline access so proceed with caution.