Bailey Lake Fishing in Clare County, Michigan

• Overview

  Bailey Lake is a Clare County water, in Michigan. It stands 781 feet above sea level. Around 36 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. The full circuit measures close to 1.5 miles on foot. The closest town, Clare, is 7.7 miles away. Beyond it, Beaverton at 8.3 miles and Coleman at 9.9 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Bailey Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Clare County include bluegill, largemouth bass, pink salmon, northern pike and black crappie. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Fish Bailey Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 69°F in July and bottoms out near 19°F in January. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early April. Ice clears near early April and comes back about mid December in a typical year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Bailey Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Round Lake at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Confirm before you fish Bailey Lake.