Fishing & snow report
SKi and snow report:
Meadowlark Ski Lodge and Antelope Butte Ski Area are both CLOSED for the season with lots of exciting new things ahead for both of their 2026-2027 seasons. Updates are on their social media pages.
Lake Desmet:
Fishing at Lake DeSmet is fair. The fish are all holding in deeper water at this time. Boat fishermen may have luck trolling with cowbells trailed by a nightcrawler, or with large Krocodile Spoons or Rapalas. Shore fishermen may have luck with Powerbait fished off of the bottom.
Prairie Lakes and Ponds:
(Including Healy Reservoir, and Muddy Guard Reservoirs)
Muddy Guard Reservoirs are very warm with lower water levels. Anglers may have luck in the early morning hours with Terrestrial Dry Fly patterns or with Streamers or Balanced Leech patterns.
Healy Reservoir has good water levels and fishing is good for Perch, Largemouth Bass, and some smaller Walleyes. Worms fished on Crappie Rigs will be effective for the Perch. Bass can be caught on a variety of Plastics.
Prairie Streams:
(Including Clear Creek, Crazy Woman Creek, Rock Creek and Piney Creek)
Lower elevation streams have low water levels and relatively high water temperatures. Try to limit fishing to the early morning hours before 1pm if you intend to catch and release.
Grasshopper patterns will be effective, as well as a variety of Caddis patterns when the bugs are hatching. Spin fishermen may have luck with worms in the deeper holes or with very small spinners.
Mountain Streams:
(Including Clear Creek, Crazy Woman Creek, Rock Creek, Piney Creek and Tensleep Creek and their tributaries)
Bighorn mountain streams are all fishing very well right now. Water levels are low, but there is sufficient flow and cool temperatures for good fishing.
Fly fishermen will have luck with a variety of patterns. A dry/dropper rig is especially effective right now. Good patterns would be Purple Haze, Peacock Caddis, Parachute Madam X, or Mini Chubby Chernobyls, trailed by a Duracell, Blowtorch, or Copper John.
Spin fishermen will have luck with small spinners or worms fished in the deeper holes.
Mountain Lakes:
(Including Tie Hack Reservoir, Meadowlark Lake, and Cloud Peak Wilderness Lakes)
Bighorn Mountain lakes are all open and fishing is good.
Fly fishermen will have luck with Ant and Beetle patterns, Small leeches and Wooly Buggers, or with Hare’s Ears or Pheasant Tail Nymphs.
Spin fishermen will have luck with Panther Martin spinners, Lil Jakes lures, or Kastmasters. When the fish are feeding on the surface, a fly and bubble technique can be effective.