Shallow Gilkey Lake Fishing Guide, Barry County, Michigan

• Overview

  You will find Shallow Gilkey Lake in Barry County, Michigan. Country round the bank runs to rolling bush. About 20 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Stony Point at 4 miles is the nearest place to stop. Grand Rapids is the closest city, 37 miles away. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Shallow Gilkey Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Open biodiversity records for Barry County list bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch, black crappie and pink salmon. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. The near bank of Shallow Gilkey Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 71°F at the top of summer and 22°F at the bottom of winter. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Ice-out usually falls in late March, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Ice usually gives way near late March, and forms again about mid December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. On Shallow Gilkey Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Little Gilkey Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Shallow Gilkey Lake if anything is unclear.