Lily Lake Fishing near Waterville, Minnesota

• Overview

  Lily Lake lies within the bounds of Le Sueur County, Minnesota. Height above sea level is 1,017 feet. It runs to roughly 110 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The full circuit measures close to 2.6 miles on foot. The nearest place of any size is Waterville, 4 miles away. Minneapolis is the closest city, 57 miles away. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Lily Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Le Sueur County: common carp, bluegill, largemouth bass and walleye. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Read Lily Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 11°F to 72°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Count the season from break-up, usually early April. Averages suggest open water from about early April through to roughly early December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lily Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is Reeds Lake, 1.3 miles out. Confirm before you fish Lily Lake.