Fishing Heart Lake

Heart Lake is a deep 63-acre trout lake with a maximum depth of 117 feet and mostly sand and organic bottom substrate. The lake has Type B trout regulations and receives 4,000 yearling Eagle Lake strain Rainbow Trout annually from the DNR. The 2020 survey found four year classes of trout (ages 2-5) indicating good winter survival, with individual fish ranging from 13.5 to 23.6 inches. Rainbow Trout are growing at or above the state average, with age-3 fish averaging over two inches larger than statewide average and age-5 fish one inch above average. The lake thermally stratifies with dissolved oxygen dropping below 6.5 ppm below 39 feet and below 3 ppm at 57 feet, so trout concentrate in the upper water column during summer. Northern Pike are present in good numbers with fish reaching 28-35 inches, providing an additional predator fishery. Rock Bass dominate the fish community by number (59% of catch) but stay small at 4-7 inches. The lake has a long management history dating to 1949, including a successful chemical treatment in 1975 that removed competing species and improved trout survival. Splake were stocked from 1987-2001 but survival declined, leading to the return to Rainbow Trout stocking. Recent angler reports describe fishing success as variable, ranging from 'okay' to 'amazing' depending on conditions. The lake has no inlets or outlets and features a DNR boat ramp on the south end. Heart Lake is featured on the DNR Trout Trails website as part of the Lake Huron watershed trout fishing opportunities.