Miller Reservoir in Stevens County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Miller Reservoir is a Stevens County water, in Washington. Elevation runs to 2,707 feet. Surface area runs to about 9 acres — small enough to read in one session. Chewelah sits 11 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Further out sit Colville (19 miles) and Kettle Falls (24 miles). Others close at hand: Clark Lake lies 8.8 miles on, Rolly Lake a shade over 9.1 miles, Meadow Pond lies 10 miles on, Waitts Lake a shade over 10 miles and Swede Lake lies 11 miles on. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Miller Reservoir

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Stevens County records list brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, yellow perch and largemouth bass among the fish reported. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Anyone new to Miller Reservoir should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 64°F in August and bottom out at 23°F in January. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late March. From about late March to around early December, expect open water on the long-run figures. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. At Miller Reservoir the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Clark Lake at 8.8 miles is the nearest alternative. What applies at Miller Reservoir may have changed since it was mapped.