Narrin Lake Fishing near Ortonville, Michigan

• Overview

  Narrin Lake stands in Oakland County, Michigan. The surroundings are rolling bush. The water covers some 31 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The full circuit measures close to 1.0 miles on foot. Start from Ortonville, 2.2 miles down the road. For a city, Sterling Heights is 29 miles off. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Narrin Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Public occurrence data for Oakland County names bluegill, black crappie and largemouth bass. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Narrin Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 70°F at the top of summer and 22°F at the bottom of winter. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. Ice clears near early April and comes back about mid December in a typical year. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Narrin Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Young Lake, 1.1 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm access to Narrin Lake locally before you travel.