Cold Brook Lake Fishing Guide, Fall River County, South Dakota

• Overview

  This water sits in Fall River County, South Dakota. The setting is rolling bush. With some 27 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The full circuit measures close to 1.0 miles on foot. It sits higher than most water we list in South Dakota. The nearest town is Hot Springs, 1.9 miles away. Custer is 22 miles away, with Colonial Pine Hills at 39 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Cold Brook Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. County-wide records name green sunfish, bluegill, channel catfish, white sucker and black bullhead. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Cold Brook Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 24°F in January to roughly 71°F in July. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late March. Climate figures give an open season running late March to early December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. On Cold Brook Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. Facilities include toilets around 0.9 miles from here. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Larive Lake is 0.6 miles distant. What applies at Cold Brook Lake may have changed since it was mapped.