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Details

Distance

0.5 miles

Elevation Gain

15 ft

Route Type

Point-to-Point

Description

Added by Isaac Parsons

French Creek is one of the more underrated trout streams in the Black Hills area.

The creek has two main sections, there is Upper French Creek and Lower French creek, the upper/lower refer to the section of creek above or below Stockade Lake. The better fishing is below Stockade Lake. There you can find numerous sections of the creek that are on public land and easily accessible. Trout can be found all over the creek, especially in the bends where it pools up and gets deeper, they also like to sit in the riffles. You can catch brown trout, rainbows, and even brook trout, every once in a while you might catch a small perch or sunfish that have been washed down from the lake. 

Along French Creek near Blue Bell has some beautiful areas where there are towering granite and shale walls. Down stream from Blue Bell there is an area of the creek that is nearly untouched and has endless possibilities. 

The trout are almost always ready to take a nymph, but if you time the hatch right you can have some good dry fly action with caddis flies, and even streamers and wooly buggers. 

What to bring:

  • Fly Rod
  • Flies
  • Net
  • Snacks
  • Camera
  • Layers
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Features

Fishing
Photography
Hiking
Dog Friendly
Forest
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Wildlife

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