Why not Gary Creek?

Late September offered a rare chance to visit Deuel County in northeast South Dakota.  This county is home to Gary Creek, said to be the only home to naturally reproducing trout in eastern South Dakota.  While I've been to Gary, SD many times, I've only ever fished Lake Elsie, located in town next to Buffalo Ridge Resort.  This is stocked annually and holds some decent rainbows.  This year, I was determined to explore more of the creek to see if, in fact, it holds fish.

Gary Creek winds its way through Deuel County farmland until eventually reaching a portion of town designated as Game Production Area by South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.  This allows access to hunters and fishers alike.  I walked through prairie grasses along a fence line my decent into the densely populated forest was immanent.  Like at an art gallery, I stopped to take in the beauty of this particular area before following the rough trail down to the clear creek below.  That sound is intoxicating. The trickles and gurgles of the creek as it winds through thick brush and trees.  This place has potential.

Under the canopy of overhanging trees, the creek runs cold and clear.  Other vegetation surrounding the creek make for difficult fly casting.  I press upstream, casting (slingshotting) my soft-hackel hares ear into pool after pool.  Only the occasional curious creek chub would be brought to hand which brought back fond memories of catching chubs in Rapid Creek while my brother and I were kids. Not one trout bolted from the bank, sought refuge under brush as I moved upstream.  Only the chubs darted here and there.

While Gary Creek has many of the components necessary for a sustainable trout population, I can see why they no longer call this place home.  But why not Gary Creek?  Habitat restoration efforts are going on all over the country to create and improve sustainable populations of while trout.  Gary Creek could be one of those projects.  A lot needs to be done, and that means dollars will need to be spent.  We have a difficult time finding funds for projects on our already productive streams of the Black Hills let along a current dead zone in eastern South Dakota.  Partnerships between GFP, South Dakota Trout Unlimited membership and the Black Hills Flyfishers will be required to move forward with actually work getting done.  Funds could come from fishing enthusiasts around South Dakota with the opportunity for them to purchase a trout stamp.  However we raise money, the time is now to start on projects that will make South Dakota a better place.  Let's get something done South Dakota!  Why not start with Gary Creek?