Fishing at Church Slough, Flathead County, Montana

• Overview

  Church Slough stands in Flathead County, Montana. It lies 2,890 feet above sea level. The water covers some 195 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Few waters listed in Flathead County are bigger. Somers at 4.5 miles is the nearest place to stop. After that come Kalispell at 6.6 miles and Evergreen at 6.8 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Church Slough

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Flathead County include rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, largemouth bass, brook trout and yellow perch. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Church Slough that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 24°F in January up to 65°F in August. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late March. Break-up sits around late March on average, with the water closing again about early December. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. That is the shape of the year on Church Slough.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. There is recorded parking some half a mile off. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Wileys Slough at 1.8 miles is the nearest alternative. For Church Slough, the notice at the access point is the final word.