A Fisherman's Guide to Selected Lakes of Northwest Montana

3 BAYLEY LAKE
Also know as: Cliff Lake

SIZE: 16.7 Acres (to maximum 72 acres)
ELEVATION: 2,400 Feet
MAXIMUM DEPTH: Unknown
COUNTY: Stevens, Washington
COORDINATES: T34N R41E Sec29BG

Longitude: 117d 39m 32s to 117d 40m 0s West
Latitude: 48d 24m 47s to 48d 25m 29s North

SPECIES, CONFIRMED:
Rainbow Trout

SPECIES, REPORTED:
Eastern Brook Trout

CHARACTERISTICS:
There are wooded hills on the east and west sides of the lake. Those to the west have a lot of vertical rock with broken rock slopes below. There is a strip of trees between the rocks and the water. The east slopes also have some vertical and broken rock, but not as much as the west side. On the east side, the broken rock does reach the water near the south end of the lake.

The south end of the lake is nearly closed in by the hills, but has a narrow gap. The north end is open.

The shorelines are mostly steep and brushy. There are a few places on the shores, especially on the east side, where a boat can be beached. The southeast corner at the extreme end of the lake has a place to beach, and the area has been used as a camp in the past.

The lake is mostly shallow. There are isolated dollar pads and other aquatic weeds dotting the lake, but few large beds early in the season. Later in the summer the lake weeds up badly.

There are some snags scattered along the shorelines.

The water is clear.

DIRECTIONS TO:
Take Highway 20 to mile 363.6, east of the town of Colville, Montana where Kitt-Narcisse Road will be reached.

Turn onto Kitt-Narcisse Road and go south for 1.4 miles to Narcisse Creek Road, on the left.

Turn onto Narcisse Creek Road and go southeast for 1.7 miles to the next intersection. You will pass a sign marking the entrance to the Little Pend Oreille Wildlife Refuge 0.4 miles before the intersection.

At the intersection, turn right and go 1.0 mile to the next one.

*At this intersection, turn left. You will pass the refuge headquarters buildings after 0.7 miles, and Cliff Ridge Road, on the right, after 4.1 miles. Stay on the main road, and at 4.5 miles from the last turn you will come to a four way intersection.

Take the road to the right. It will reach the access area for Potters Pond after 0.9 miles, and the end of the road at the Bayley Lake access at 1.2 miles.

The Bayley Lake access is a total of 9.8 miles from Highway 20.

An ALTERNATE ROUTE is to take Highway 20 to mile 364.9, where Starvation Lake Road is reached.

Turn onto Starvation Lake Road and go south. At 0.9 miles a gravel road on the right enters the public access area for Starvation Lake. Continue on Starvation Lake Road, and at 1.3 miles you will reach an intersection.

Go to the right. After 0.4 miles you will reach another intersection.

Stay to the right. After 0.7 miles you will reach the next intersection. This one is signed for McDowell Lake to the left.

Turn to the right, and you will come to a large four way intersection after only 0.1 mile.

At this intersection turn to the left. Go 1.0 mile to the next intersection.
From here, follow the directions above from the point marked with an asterisk(*).

Using the alternate route, the Bayley Lake access is a total of 8.8 miles from Highway 20.

FISHING TIPS:
The lake is fly fishing only, with no motors allowed. I fished it only once, during high winds. All of the fish I caught were at the far end of the lake.

MAP REFERENCES:
*USGS Topographic Map, Washington (48117-D6-TF-024-00)
Cliff Ridge Quadrangle, 7.5 Minute Series.
*USGS Topographic Map, Washington (48117-A1-TM-100-00)
Chewelah Quadrangle, 30x60 Minute Series.
*Washington Atlas & Gazetteer, Page 104.