Sherstad Slough, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Sherstad Slough is set in Stevens County, Minnesota. The country here is lake country bush. Around 192 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. It is a smooth basin, with the interest below the waterline rather than along it. Morris lies 13 miles from the water. Then Elbow Lake, 17 miles, and Wheaton, 22 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Sherstad Slough

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Stevens County, recorded fish include common carp, black bullhead, northern pike, yellow perch and walleye. The county list is broader than any single water. The near bank of Sherstad Slough is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 71°F, the coldest about 9°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early April. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Sherstad Slough runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Cottonwood Lake, 1 mile away. The position on Sherstad Slough is worth confirming on the day.