Harts Lake Fishing in Calhoun County, Michigan

• Overview

  Harts Lake is a Calhoun County water, Michigan side. The bank is 879 feet above sea level. It measures about 55 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Roughly 1.8 miles of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. Springfield lies 2.6 miles from the water. The nearest city of size is Lansing, 47 miles away. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Harts Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Public occurrence data for Calhoun County names bluegill, largemouth bass and black crappie. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Harts Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 72°F at the top of summer and 23°F at the bottom of winter. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Winter locks it down, and late March brings it back. On average, late March opens the water and mid December closes it again. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Time your trip to Harts Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Someone has mapped a fishing spot half a mile off. The water borders Hart's Lake Conservation Area, so reserve rules are likely to apply. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Lawrence Lake, 1.3 miles away. Confirm before you fish Harts Lake.