First Lake in Barry County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  First Lake sits within Barry County in Michigan. The surface lies 827 feet up. Small at around 5 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. On size it sits at the modest end of our Barry County list. For supplies, Lake Odessa is 6.2 miles out. Beyond it, Nashville at 7.1 miles and Hastings at 11 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on First Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Reported across Barry County: bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch and black crappie. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. At First Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 71°F at the top of summer and 22°F at the bottom of winter. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Look for the thaw near late March; the fishing lifts straight after. The open-water window runs from around late March to about mid December in an average year. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Plan around that when you fish First Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A phone call first saves an afternoon. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Second Lake at 0.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position at First Lake before loading the car.