Deerfield Lake a fisherman's paradise

By Ryan Woodard, Journal staff | Thursday, February 15, 2007

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Two of the biggest brook trout ever caught in the United States were caught at the Black Hills' own Deerfield Reservoir in the past month and a half, according to at least one Web site.

Rapid City resident Ryan Rempfer caught a whopping state record 11-pound, 2-ounce brook trout Dec. 30. Rempfer's fish was also the biggest brook trout to be pulled out of the ice on a fishing pole, as he broke the previous Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame record.

His feat was nearly matched by a 10.15-ounce fish caught about a month later by Corey Dillavou of Rapid City. Dillavou caught his fish Jan. 24.

The Web site www.landbigfish.com lists Rempfer's brook trout as the largest ever caught in the United States.

Second on the list is a 10-pound, 1-ounce brook trout caught in Wisconsin, which Dillavou's fish eclipses by one-half ounce.

Rempfer's fish took out the previous record 9-pound, 3-ounce brook trout caught at Deerfield in 2004. In addition, every state record brook trout in South Dakota history except for one has come out of Deerfield.

"It's pretty phenomenal," South Dakota Department of Game, Fish & Parks fisheries biologist Gene Galinat said. "The state record was broke in 2004 with a 9-pound brook trout and then this year, we had an 11-pound and a 10-pound come out. So there are definitely some big ones in there."

Galinat said he isn't sure why brook trout, which fishermen usually catch at an average size of 6 inches to 9 inches, are growing to such massive proportions in the central Black Hills lake.

But he and some other GF&P officials do have a few theories.

"The only thing that I can think of is there is a population of white suckers in that lake and there must be a few of those brook trout that live long enough and get big enough so that they can start feeding on those suckers," Dennis Unkenholz, GF&P fisheries manager, said.

Unkenholz said he was pretty surprised at the size of the two brook trout, as was fisheries biologist Greg Simpson. Calling the catches "remarkable," Simpson said he thinks lack of predation may be enabling the fish to become larger.

"I'm going to guess it's the lack of other big predators around that some of these are able to hang on and do pretty well," he said.

Galinat had similar thoughts on the matter.

"There isn't a lot of big fish up there to make prey for the smaller fish. So once they do get to that size there's probably not a lot of competition for them," he said.

The size and depth of the lake are also contributing factors, Galinat added, as is the fish's switch from insects to a fish diet.

"It's a cold lake and it's got some deep recesses for these fish to take some refuge," he said. They're probably pretty old fish so they've been in the system for a while and they were able to make it."

Galinat said brook trout are naturally occurring in Deerfield, because the GF&P hasn't stocked any in the reservoir since 1983. The fish are probably coming from upstream Castle Creek, he said.

Galinat said there are probably a few more big brook trout waiting for that lucky fisherman to catch. But he doesn't think there is a surplus of big fish.

"I don't think there would be many," he said. "I think there are probably a few more big ones in there. By looking at the three of them that were caught in the last three years like that, there's got to be some more big ones in there, but I wouldn't say there's very many."

Galinat estimated both fish to be at least 10, possibly 15 years old.

Dillavou caught his fish after hearing about Rempfer's fish from Dillavou's brother, Justin. Rempfer had hired Justin Dillavou, who has a Rapid City taxidermy service, to mount his fish.

The two brothers then went fishing together, and Corey Dillavou landed the big trout with the help of a couple friends.

"At the time I was assuming it was a brook trout," Justin Dillavou said. "I told him I said if this is not the new state record it's going to be close."

Corey Dillavou said he was a little disappointed not to break Rempfer's record but was "still real happy to catch something that big."

Rempfer said the fact that two brook trout of that size were caught recently has him wondering if his record could still be broken.

"I heard about it, I was a little worried, and I'm kinda still worried because it's kind of odd that they're catching that big of brookies out there," he said.

Rempfer isn't quite sure why the phenomenon is happening.

"I don't know," he said. "Maybe there's just getting to be a lot of them in there lately. And just being in the right spot at the right time, actually, is probably what's going on."

Catching another brook trout even close to matching the ones Dillavou and Rempfer caught would be quite a feat, said McNenny State Fish Hatchery assistant manager Keith Wintersteen. Dillavou's fish was 30.5 inches and Rempfer's was 30 inches.

"A 10-inch brook trout is a nice brook trout in the Black Hills. Twelve (inches) is pretty darn good. Anything over 20 is like 'holy mackerel,'" he said.

Contact Ryan Woodard at 394-8412 or ryan.woodard@rapidcityjournal.com