Chelsea Slough in Roosevelt County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Roosevelt County end of Montana holds Chelsea Slough. This is pine and birch country. At some 373 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The outline measures near 12 miles, so local knowledge counts. The closest town, Wolf Point, is 15 miles distant. The nearest city of size is Regina, 163 miles away. If this one is busy: McIlwain Lake sits 20 miles out and Frazer Lake within 32 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Chelsea Slough

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Roosevelt County include largemouth bass, common carp, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Chelsea Slough gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 74°F, while January sits near 11°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early April. In an average year the thaw lands around early April and the freeze near late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Plan around that when you fish Chelsea Slough.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. McIlwain Lake sits 20 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Chelsea Slough in what we hold.