South Dakota is a gorgeous state – one that, in my opinion, simply doesn’t get enough love. Sure, we have a small handful of tourists every year, but when it comes to the most-visited places, we’re definitely not one of ’em. This is unfortunate, though, because there’s so much to love about this incredible state – especially if you’re a fan of watersports and fishing. South Dakota is a hidden gem when it comes to amazing places to go fishing; take, for example, the beautiful Spearfish River flowing through Spearfish Canyon. When it comes to fishing in South Dakota, it doesn’t get a whole lot better than this region.

The entire Spearfish Canyon region is absolutely beautiful.
TCMemoire/Flickr
Many folks will automatically think of it upon being asked where the best fishing in South Dakota is, but most of them will be locals; when it comes to folks not-from-here, South Dakota is an incredible hidden gem.
When I say the fishing is good, I mean it's good.
AR Nature Gal/Flickr
The water is pristine and always crystal-clear; the kind of clean, wild resources you'd expect from the rolling wonder of the Black Hills.
Spearfish Creek holds the honor of being the second-largest stream in the Black Hills.
Brandon Vizenor/Flickr
Different locations on the river lead to different types of fish; within Spearfish Canyon, trout are common, including brown trout and rainbow trout.

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Upstream, winding through the limestone cliffs, trout are even more plentiful.
Stephanie Zens/Flickr
Yellow perch is another fish commonly caught here; how lucky we are to be situated right on a plentiful river that provides us with such delicious catches?
If you're wondering which creek takes first place over Spearfish in terms of size, that title belongs to the beautiful Crow Creek, which isn't terribly far from here.
WanderHavenPhoto/Flickr
To fish, you'll need to procure a license from Walmart, the Spearfish Canyon Lodge, and the Iron Creek Lake Store.
A day trip to Spearfish Canyon is special enough - throw some fishing in and you've got yourself a perfect day out.
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For more information about fishing in South Dakota, check out the handy-dandy South Dakota Fishing Guide from South Dakota Game & Fish. To explore this amazing region further, read more of our awesome thoughts about the wonder that is Spearfish Canyon.

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