Lily Lake near Stevensville: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Set in Idaho County, Idaho, this is Lily Lake. The setting is rolling bush on every side. It runs to roughly 36 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Few waters listed in Idaho County are bigger. Head to Stevensville, 16 miles away, for anything you forgot. After that come Lolo at 17 miles and Orchard Homes at 23 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lily Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish documented in Idaho County include rainbow trout, Chinook salmon, cutthroat trout and bull trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Lily Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 56°F and December about 19°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. The open-water window runs from around early May to about mid November in an average year. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Plan around that when you fish Lily Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Skookum Lake at 1 mile is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at Lily Lake for certain.