Fishing at Lilly Lake, Marathon County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Marathon County, Wisconsin, is where Lilly Lake sits. It sits in lake country bush country. At about 83 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The bank runs about 1.4 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Some 4.9 miles away sits Wittenberg, the nearest settlement. Bevent lies 7.3 miles off, Weston another 17 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Lilly Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Marathon County, recorded fish include brown trout, common carp, yellow perch, bluegill and black crappie. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Anyone new to Lilly Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 68°F and January at 12°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid April until roughly late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Plan around that when you fish Lilly Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Wilson Lake is 2.9 miles distant. Where Lilly Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.