Lily Lake Fishing near Neebing, Michigan

• Overview

  Lily Lake belongs to Keweenaw County, Michigan. The country here is rolling bush. Surface area runs to about 16 acres — small enough to read in one session. The closest town, Neebing, is 23 miles away. For a city, Thunder Bay is 34 miles off. More in the same country: Lake Halloran about 4.5 miles, Stickleback Lake lies 5.2 miles on, Feldtmann Lake about 5.4 miles, Lake Desor lies 6.5 miles on and Mud Lake about 9.6 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lily Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Survey and observation records for Keweenaw County include rainbow smelt, yellow perch, white sucker and cisco. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Take Lily Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 62°F and January near 13°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The open-water window runs from around late April to about late November in an average year. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. On Lily Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Lake Halloran at 4.5 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Lily Lake.