Lily Lake near Snowmass Village: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Lily Lake lies in Pitkin County, in Colorado. This is pine and birch ground. Surface area runs to about 7 acres — small enough to read in one session. Snowmass Village lies 18 miles from the water. The big place round here is Boulder, 123 miles distant. Close by you also have: Flogus Pond within 0.7 miles, 1.1 miles out stands Perry Pond, Island Lake within 1.6 miles, 3.7 miles out stands Beaver Lake and Lizard Lake within 4.9 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Lily Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Pitkin County include cutthroat trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout and brown trout. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Anyone new to Lily Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 15°F in January up to 55°F in July. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Look for the thaw near mid May; the fishing lifts straight after. The lid tends to go about mid May and return around mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. That shapes the year on Lily Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Flogus Pond, 0.7 miles out. For Lily Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.