South Dakota · river

Rapid Creek

Rapid Creek is a tributary of the Cheyenne River, approximately 86 mi (138 km) long, in South Dakota, United States. The creek's name comes from the Sioux Indians of the area, for the many rapids in the stream. From Wikipedia

Length
86 mi
Flows into
Cheyenne River

Flow now

Rapid Creek Above Wrf Near Rapid City, SD, 1 mi from the river.

30cfsat build, Nov 12, 11 AM MT

03877Oct 12Nov 11

The typical week here, from 10 years of record: 49 cfs to 77 cfs, around 68 cfs.

Water temperature at the gauge: 38°F.

Also gauged at Rapid Creek At Rapid City, SD: 31 cfs, Nov 12.

Snowpack

0.0 in of water in the snow at North Rapid Creek, against a median 0.6 in for the date (0 % of normal).

The snowpack here usually builds from Nov 3, peaks Apr 2 and is gone by Apr 28; runoff follows the melt.

The season, November

Usually workable this week. Pick your window and fish it well.

  • Midgessizes 18 to 22
  • Small eggs and worms
  • Pheasant tail and zebra midge nymphsunder an indicator

Typical for the week over 10 years: 49 to 77 cfs. Running 30 cfs today, below that range. Flows are not forecast; check the gauge the day before.

Brown Trout are spawning (October to December). Stay off clean, light-coloured gravel in riffle tails and pool tailouts, and leave paired fish alone.

Brook Trout are spawning (September to November). Stay off clean, light-coloured gravel in riffle tails and pool tailouts, and leave paired fish alone.

Mountain Whitefish are spawning (October to December). The egg bite behind spawning whitefish is the best winter nymphing of the year: an egg pattern below the riffles.

  • Egg patterns in the runs below the spawning gravel, never on it.

Written by the app's rules engine from the calendar, the gauge record and the snowpack, not by hand, so it says only what the data says. The weather for the week comes with the app.

Fly shops on this water

Nearby waters

Every South Dakota water

Open Rapid Creek in FlyMaster for today's plan, the flies, and your own log here.

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Flows from the U.S. Geological Survey, snowpack from the NRCS SNOTEL network, text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Built Nov 12.