Barnum Lake in Genesee County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Barnum Lake is listed under Genesee County, Michigan. It sits in lake country bush country. About 22 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. The closest town, Lake Fenton, is 0.8 miles away. Fenton follows at 4.1 miles, then Linden at 4.6 miles. Within a short drive: Little Long Lake 0.4 miles, Dollar Lake near enough 0.7 miles, Lake Fenton 1.2 miles, McCully Lake near enough 1.6 miles and Copneconic Lake 1.7 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Barnum Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Genesee County records list bluegill, largemouth bass, pink salmon and black crappie among the fish reported. The county list is broader than any single water. Take Barnum Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 71°F and January near 22°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. The open-water window runs from around early April to about mid December in an average year. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Time your trip to Barnum Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. There is a pier recorded roughly half a mile away. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Little Long Lake, 0.4 miles away. Check the position on Barnum Lake before loading the car.