Fishing at Heart Lake, Carbon County, Montana

• Overview

  Heart Lake is one of the Carbon County waters in Montana. This is mixed forest ground. At roughly 2 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Carbon County. The closest town, Red Lodge, is 22 miles distant. It is 76 miles to Billings, the nearest city. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Heart Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name rainbow trout, brook trout, sauger, walleye and channel catfish. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Heart Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year August sits at 47°F and January at 13°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid June. The season between ice runs from about mid June to late October. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. At Heart Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Kidney Lake, 0.2 miles out. For Heart Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.