Larson Slough near Valley City: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Barnes County, North Dakota, is where Larson Slough sits. It stands 1,401 feet above sea level. Around 87 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. About 2.3 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. It lies lower than most water we list in North Dakota. Valley City sits 11 miles from the bank. Then Casselton, 36 miles, and Jamestown, 38 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Larson Slough

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Open biodiversity records for Barnes County list yellow perch, blackside darter, smallmouth bass, white sucker and tadpole madtom. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Larson Slough the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 6°F and July at about 69°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Larson Slough follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Crow Lake at 2.1 miles is the nearest alternative. Confirm before you fish Larson Slough.