Deerfield Lake Fishing in Pennington County, South Dakota

• Overview

  Deerfield Lake is one of the Pennington County waters in South Dakota. The land about it is mixed forest. It measures some 328 acres, and wind has room to build across it. At about 6.8 miles of edge, most people work one arm at a time. It is high ground by South Dakota standards. The town to know is Custer, 20 miles out. Lead lies 23 miles off, Newcastle another 23 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Deerfield Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Open biodiversity records for Pennington County list brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout and white sucker. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Deerfield Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 64°F in July and bottoms out near 21°F in January. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. That shapes the year on Deerfield Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. A ramp is mapped within half a mile. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Major Lake, 13 miles away. Rules at Deerfield Lake are worth checking on the day.