Fishing at Smiley Slough, Sanders County, Montana

• Overview

  Sanders County, Montana, is where Smiley Slough sits. What surrounds it is mixed woodland. About 20 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Montana listings. The nearest town is Plains, 1.8 miles away. It is 121 miles to Spokane, the nearest city. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Smiley Slough

  Our records hold no depth for this water. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Open biodiversity records for Sanders County list rainbow trout, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Smiley Slough the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 25°F in January to roughly 67°F in August. The freeze here is occasional rather than annual. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. On Smiley Slough the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. For a change of water, Pardee Slough is 4.3 miles distant. Nothing here settles the position at Smiley Slough for certain.