Fishing at Lily Lake, Beaverhead County, Montana

• Overview

  Lily Lake sits in Beaverhead County, out in Montana. The ground round it is rolling bush. This is a tiny water, and one quiet approach covers all of it. Most waters listed here for Beaverhead County are larger. The closest town, Dillon, is 21 miles away. For a city, Boise is 203 miles off. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lily Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout, cutthroat trout and Arctic grayling. The county list is broader than any single water. Lily Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 51°F; by December the average is down near 18°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Count the season from break-up, usually late May. The open-water window runs from around late May to about early November in an average year. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Expect Lily Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Boot Lake is 0.9 miles distant. Treat Lily Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.