Lilylands Reservoir Fishing Guide, San Miguel County, Colorado

• Overview

  Out in San Miguel County, Colorado, sits Lilylands Reservoir. The surroundings are mixed forest. The water measures roughly 14 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. The full circuit measures close to 1.1 miles on foot. You are 27 miles from Mountain Village. Colorado Springs is the closest city, 201 miles away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lilylands Reservoir

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Across San Miguel County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, black-spotted cutthroat trout, brown trout, brook trout and cutthroat trout. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Lilylands Reservoir that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 63°F and January reads 24°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Winter locks it down, and early April brings it back. In an average year the thaw lands around early April and the freeze near early December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Time your trip to Lilylands Reservoir by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Mud Lake at 2.1 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat access at Lilylands Reservoir as something to verify.