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

• Overview

  Look for Wiley Lake in Barry County, Michigan. It sits at 912 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 11 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Stony Point lies 3.1 miles from the water. Beyond it, South Gull Lake at 11 miles and Hastings at 11 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Wiley Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. 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. Species logged across Barry County include bluegill, largemouth bass and yellow perch. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Treat Wiley Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 71°F; by January the average is down near 22°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Count the season from break-up, usually late March. Averages place the thaw at late March and the freeze at mid December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It sets the rhythm of the year at Wiley Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Orr Lake at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Wiley Lake.