Pactola Reservoir, South Dakota - Reports, Lake Info, Pictures

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Waggoner Lake - Lots of sunfish (200+) and crappie (50+). Used bobber with gulp minnows and earthworms. Typical wait per bite is around 15 seconds. Takes some pa... Continued

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Description:

Pactola Reservoir is a Reservoir in Pennington, South Dakota.

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Pactola Lake is the largest reservoir in the Black Hills of South Dakota. At the bottom of Pactola Lake is the submerged town of Pactola, an old mining camp and site of several military bivouacs during the original settlement of the Black Hills in the mid-1870s.

The lake is located on Rapid Creek in Pennington County, South Dakota. The lake provides the water supply for the Rapid City Metro Area. It is owned and operated by the U S Bureau of Reclamation, with the various recreational facilities operated by the US Forest Service, and is one of the recreational areas of Black Hills National Forest. Boating and fishing are very popular, with a walk-in fly-fishing area located on Rapid Creek below the dam.

Fishing Description:

Pactola Reservoir's main fish species are brown, lake, and rainbow trout. There are also some sunfish, rock bass, yellow perch, largemouth bass, black crappie, and northern pike.

Facilities and Parks:

Facilities include a marina, improved swimming beach, campgrounds and group campground on the South Shore, campgrounds and a handicapped fishing path on the North Shore, and various picnic and overlook areas. In the summer, the USFS operates a visitor center on the dam, immediately off US Highway 385.

Directions to Lake:

Pactola Lake is accessible via US Highway 385 north from Hill City, South Dakota and Sheridan Lake Forks or south from Lead and Deadwood, or via the Rimrock Highway, SD Highway 44 from Rapid City, South Dakota.

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