Barris Lake Fishing in Livingston County, Michigan

• Overview

  Within Livingston County, Michigan, you have Barris Lake. Land around it is rolling bush. At 4 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is a small entry by Livingston County standards. Argentine lies 6.7 miles from the water. After that come Howell at 7 miles and Linden at 9.1 miles. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Barris Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Livingston County include bluegill, largemouth bass, black crappie, pink salmon and yellow perch. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Barris Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 22°F to 70°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Count the season from break-up, usually early April. The season between ice runs from about early April to mid December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. The season on Barris Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. A carry of 0.9 miles from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Fausett Lake, 0.3 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. What applies at Barris Lake may have changed since it was mapped.