Wade6/100
Wading is the most sensitive plan today. Use protected edges only, avoid crossings, and downgrade quickly if clarity or current feels wrong.
All South Dakota reports
Fly fishing report · Midwest
French Creek
Is French Creek worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for South Dakota before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Generated artwork: BlueStreamFly · Regional illustration; not the exact location.
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Poor
Not today. Make another plan.
36
Best option: Float. A float can fit better than wading only if launches, shuttle, boat skill, wind, and local rules all check out.
See update time and confidence
Live data checkHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Today's callMediumWater temperature not verified; do not use this score to clear warm-water risk.
Score calculated Aug 22, 2026, 10:33 PM MDTUsually checks again about every 45 minutes
Best access methodFloat
These scores compare the risks of wading, bank fishing, and floating.
Bank / edgeNot recommended
This report does not recommend bank fishing on this reach.
Float · Best fit32/100
A float can fit better than wading only if launches, shuttle, boat skill, wind, and local rules all check out.
Your plan
Today's French Creek plan.
French Creek gives anglers some of the strongest scenery and most committing trout access in the southern Black Hills. Start with RiverReports and USGS 06403300, then decide whether you want a shorter park-water session near access points or a true natural-area day where repeated crossings and the walk back matter as much as the fishing.
- Check first
- Custer State Park says the French Creek Natural Area covers 2,200 acres and that hikers should expect many creek crossings, wet feet, and a first mile that can run underground during drier months.
- Try
- Decide before leaving the trailhead whether the day is a shorter access-point session or a true natural-area walk.
- Leave when
- Skip when storms are active, crossings are unsafe, the creek is stained, water is warm, park access is restricted, or wildlife/visitor pressure changes the plan.
Live river check
What the river is doing
Check the latest flow and weather before you go. A quick change can make the river harder or less safe to fish.
Showing the latest stored river check while current readings load.
- Flow
- 0.8 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air now
- 74°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 91.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 53%
For this forecast period
This is an air forecast, not a river-temperature reading. Check the water with a stream thermometer before fishing in hot weather.
Latest stored weather check
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
- Wind
- 5 mph
- Weather checked
Recent flow chart is loading
The latest stored reading is shown above. Check the official source below if you need the newest value now.
More forecast and source details
National Weather Service
French Creek forecast point near Custer State Park
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
RiverReports gauge: French Creek above Custer
How to fish it
How to fish French Creek today.
The best French Creek days come on clear or slightly tinted moderate flow when you can move from seam to seam without every crossing becoming a chore. If the gorge is slick, thunderstorms are building, or the natural area would force too many high-water crossings, keep the day near the easier park access and leave the canyon for another time.
Moderate clear flow
Best for methodical nymphing and dry-dropper fishing through park runs, pocket water, and canyon edges.
Low late-season water
Expect stealthy fishing and remember the east-trailhead mile can go dry in places.
Higher runoff or storm pulse
Do not force the natural area. Fish only the easiest legal sections or postpone the trip.
Warm bright afternoon
Fish early, shorten the day, and keep moving water in the shade as the priority.
Fishing words used on this page
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gauge
- A USGS gauge is an official river station that measures flow or water height.
- Cubic feet per second (cfs)
- Cubic feet per second, or cfs, shows how much water passes the gauge each second.
- Nymph
- A nymph is a young water insect. Anglers also use the word for a fly that copies it.
- Seam
- A seam is the line where fast and slow water meet.
- Blue-winged olive (BWO)
- Blue-winged olives, or BWOs, are small mayflies that often hatch in cool or cloudy weather.
- Caddis
- Caddis are small water insects. The adults look a little like tiny moths.
- Dry-dropper
- A dry-dropper rig has a floating fly with an underwater fly tied below it.
- Midge
- Midges are tiny flies and a common trout food, especially in cold water.
- Pocket water
- Pocket water is a small calm spot among rocks or fast current.
- Soft hackle
- A soft-hackle fly has moving fibers that can look like an insect rising through the water.
Why this call
Why this score
Best mode nowHurts
Float: A float can fit better than wading only if launches, shuttle, boat skill, wind, and local rules all check out.
FlowUse caution
USGS shows 1 cfs. The flow has been rising about 18% over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1983-2025, 43 readings) show a median near 4 cfs and the lower quartile near 2 cfs; today's flow is below normal for the date. This is below normal, so edge depth, temperature, and pressure matter.
SeasonUse caution
This month is not listed as a top seasonal window in this page's reviewed season notes. Use current regulations, flow, temperature, and access checks before treating the score as a slam dunk.
HeatUse caution
The current NWS air forecast is about 74F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 91F. This is an air forecast, not a water-temperature reading. This gauge has no live water temperature. Check the river with a stream thermometer before fishing.
Short-term weatherUse caution
The forecast has storm or heavy-precipitation risk, so timing and access matter more than the score alone.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use the above-Custer gauge with park weather and crossing safety. Stable cool water is the best signal.
Skip when storms are active, crossings are unsafe, the creek is stained, water is warm, park access is restricted, or wildlife/visitor pressure changes the plan.
Start with the above-Custer gauge, then choose a Custer State Park or French Creek Natural Area plan before picking flies.
Compare Rapid Creek, Castle Creek, or Spearfish Creek when French Creek is high, warm, crowded, stormy, or access-limited.
What to try
French Creek flies through the year.
Match the time of year, then let rising fish and current speed guide the next change.
SeasonWhat to look forFlies to try
March-May
What to look forBlue-winged olives, stones, caddis
May-June
What to look forMarch-brown style mayflies, caddis, yellow sallies
SummerCurrent
What to look forTerrestrials and caddis
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
Access and safety
French Creek access and rules.
Use these places as starting points. Open the access link below and check posted signs before you park or enter. Recheck the 2026 South Dakota Fishing Handbook and current park notices before fishing. Natural-area camping and fire rules are separate from fishing rules and still matter for trip planning.
French Creek Trailhead
The park's clearest named trail access near Horse Camp for anglers building a structured day.
French Creek Horse Camp area
A practical staging point for the trail-and-crossing sections of the creek.
East or West Natural Area trailheads
Use only when you are prepared for wet feet, repeated crossings, and the canyon commitment.
The natural area is unmarked enough that route discipline matters as much as fishing skill.
Expect repeated crossings and wet feet. The park says hikers generally cross the creek many times.
If the day depends on squeezing through the Narrows or finishing a long canyon push after a storm window, the plan is too aggressive.
River sources
Official French Creek sources.
Official agencies and primary river operators come first. Secondary tools are labeled so you know what carries the most weight.
How this report was checked
How this report was checked
Reviewed byBlueStreamFly River Review Team
Trip guidance checked
What was checked: This report starts with official regulation, access, flow, weather, and public-land sources, then adds practical planning guidance for fly anglers.
Live measurements and forecasts keep their provider timestamps. Rules, access, and trip guidance use the source-review date shown here. BlueStreamFly planning advice is editorial interpretation, not an agency notice.
First-hand experience: BlueStreamFly does not claim a first-hand visit or local field test for this report unless a real contributor is explicitly named and linked.
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
See all 7 checked sources
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
What this source covers
Open this page for more river information and check when it was last updated.
Quick answers
Quick French Creek answers.
What gauge should I check for French Creek?
Start with RiverReports for the live chart and keep USGS 06403300 open as the official flow reference for the creek area.
Is French Creek a beginner-friendly Black Hills trout stream?
Only near the easiest park access. The natural-area day requires comfort with route-finding, wet crossings, and turning around early when conditions change.
Can I camp beside French Creek in the natural area?
Only under the park's rules: camping is limited to the canyon bottom, campsites must stay at least 50 feet from the stream, and open fires are prohibited.