Lower Lake Fishing in Barry County, Michigan

• Overview

  This water sits in Barry County, Michigan. Lake country bush runs right down to the water. The water covers some 35 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. About 1.1 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. Hastings lies 4.2 miles from the water. The big place round here is Grand Rapids, 28 miles distant. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lower Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Barry County records list bluegill, largemouth bass and yellow perch among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Take Lower Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 71°F, while January sits near 22°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The lid usually goes in late March, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The water is typically free of ice between late March and mid December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. It holds true on Lower Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Middle Lake, 1.2 miles away. Rules at Lower Lake are worth checking on the day.