Family Fishing Ponds - Kalispell

Family Fishing Waters

Where do you take a family fishing that is easy to get to, relatively safe and offers the best possible chance of fishing success? Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has taken some of the guesswork out of family fishing trips.

Always check the current Montana Fishing Regulations for limits and restrictions before setting out on any fishing trip.

Kalispell

Snappys Pond

• Location: This is a unique opportunity offered by Snappy Sport Center at the junction of Highway 2 and Highway 35.
• Fish Species: rainbow trout and cutthroat trout 
• Helpful Hints: The pond sits in a beautiful courtyard and offers benches and a waterfall. The pond also offers an underwater window for classes and general viewing. The pond is fully handicapped accessible. The pond is open to viewing and fish feeding during most business hours. There is no general fishing.  Organized groups can schedule interpretive talks or fishing by FWP. Snappys, FWP, and several conservation groups offer kids' fishing days throughout the year. The pond is used heavily by "Hooked On Fishing" classes.

Dry Bridge Pond

• Location: This 3-acre pond is in Dry Bridge City Park at the corner of 11th Street East and Woodland Avenue (about 8 blocks south of the Conrad Mansion) in an area known as the "Sledding Gully."
• Fish Species: rainbow trout
• Helpful Hints: Everyone is welcome to fish, adults 15 and older must release their fish. The best fishing is in April, May, and June. The pond is open to family fishing and anyone can fish.  The pond is stocked with assistance from the "Hooked On Fishing, Not On Drugs" 4th grade class from nearby Hedges school. The pond is tree-lined with benches and a hiking path around the pond and turtles, muskrats, ducks, osprey, and bald eagles can be observed. A porta-pottie is provided by FWP. The pond was dredged to deepen it in 2003 with assistance from Les Schlegel Enterprises contracting, Sunriser Lions, Flathead Wildlife, Inc., Bonneville Power Administration, Kalispell City Parks, and FWP.

Buffalohead Park Pond

• Location: This 2-acre pond sits off Grandview Drive just south of Flathead Community College. Parking and access is provided by the Glacier Church. Walk through the culvert under Grandview to the pond about 150 yards away. A porta-pottie is placed at the culvert by FWP.
• Fish Species: westslope cutthroat trout
• Helpful Hints: Everyone is welcome to fish, adults 15 and older must release their fish. The pond is open to family fishing, anyone can fish.  Best fishing is late May and June. The pond is stocked with assistance from the Edgerton School HOF class. The pond is in a secluded setting with lots of kingfishers, ducks, and turtles. There are several gentle spots on the bank, but a lot of the bank is steep and requires some care.

Pine Grove Pond

• Location: This 5 acre pond is 3 miles northeast of Kalispell off Rose Crossing east of Whitefish Stage Road and just west of the Whitefish River. The pond will officially open April 30, 2011.
• Fish Species: rainbow trout and cutthroat trout
• Helpful Hints: This family fishing pond is open to everyone. The pond will be open to everyone.  Adults 15 and older are asked to release all fish and anglers 14 and younger may keep one trout per day.  The pond will be open April through September. The pond has a walking trail around it, parking and a vault latrine and will have an accessible fishing pier and picnic shelter. Osprey, bald eagles, waterfowl and whitetail deer are common. The pond was built and donated by Robin Street and his son Steve and family. Numerous groups contributed to the pond construction including Ames Construction, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Flathead Electric Round Up For Safety, Flathead Valley Community College Heavy Equipment Program, Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Trust, Flathead Conservation District, Flathead Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited, Flathead Wildlife, Inc., and others. The pond is heavily used for Hooked On Fishing and other educational events.

Shady Lane Pond

• Location: The pond is accessed through the Old Steel Bridge Fishing Access Site just east of Kalispell. The site has parking, latrines, and offers access to the Flathead River and 2.5 miles of primitive hiking trails.
• Fish Species: rainbow trout, westslope cutthroat trout, pumpkinseed sunfish, and black bullheads.
• Helpful Hints: Everyone is welcome to fish, young anglers can keep 1 trout per day, and adults 15 and older must release their fish.  Anyone can keep bullheads and sunfish with no limit. The pond offers handicapped accessible parking, paved trail, accessible picnic pavillion, and an accessible fishing pier.