Lily Hill Lake Fishing in Summit County, Ohio

• Overview

  Summit County, Ohio, is where Lily Hill Lake sits. Height above sea level is 981 feet. At roughly 14 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Head to Montrose-Ghent, 1.4 miles away, for anything you forgot. Then Fairlawn, 3.7 miles, and Richfield, 4.7 miles. Not far off: Greisin Pond within 0.4 miles, Bath Pond at 0.6 miles, Von Gunten Pond within 1.1 miles, Granger Lake at 2.7 miles and Vesper Lake within 2.7 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Lily Hill Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Reported across Summit County: bluegill, rainbow darter, common carp, fantail darter and pumpkinseed. The county list is broader than any single water. On Lily Hill Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 71°F on average, January about 25°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Ice-out usually falls in late March, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Break-up sits around late March on average, with the water closing again about late December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Lily Hill Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. Mapping shows a jetty some 110 yards off. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. For the carp, bait a margin spot and sit on it; corn and bread still work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. The nearest alternative is Greisin Pond, 0.4 miles out. For Lily Hill Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.