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17-acre lake in British Columbia. The lake tops out around 36 ft. The chart is a model: real shoreline, published maximum depth, interpolated in between. A planning tool, never a navigation product. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
On the chart, Heart Lake draws 17 acres inside 0.7 miles of shoreline. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.2) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. Roughly 23% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 0.3 mi end to end and 0.2 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Columbia-Shuswap Regional District. For a second option, Madeline Lake lies 1 mi south.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 30 ft before dropping to 7 to 36 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (16 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 7 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Start shallow in spring: kokanee sit in 10 to 30 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 11 to 36 ft; cold water stacks them in 9 to 36 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 31 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (31 ft) | Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn |
| Summer | 11 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | dawn | Deep basin (31 ft) | Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn |
| Fall | 5 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (31 ft) | Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon |
| Winter | 9 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (31 ft) | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon |
When the water first warms, lake whitefish slide up into 11 to 36 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 11 to 36 ft, winter 11 to 36 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 31 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 11 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 11 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (31 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (16 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 11 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (31 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Start shallow in spring: burbot sit in 11 to 36 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 11 to 36 ft covers summer, 9 to 36 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 31 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and midday. Throw a heavy jig + cut bait until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 11 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (31 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 11 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (31 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 11 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (31 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 9 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (31 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Count 3 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 31 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for British Columbia waters are set by the BC freshwater fishing synopsis — and special regulations can apply to Heart Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Heart Lake is about 36 ft (11 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target rainbow trout, kokanee, lake whitefish, burbot on Heart Lake. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 31 ft of water that rates prime for kokanee in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Heart Lake is regulated by the BC freshwater fishing synopsis. Check the official British Columbia regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Madeline Lake 1 mi · Round Lake 2 mi · Spanish Lake 5 mi · Otter Lake 6 mi · Silvernail Lake 6 mi · Bolean Lake 8 mi · Spa Lake 9 mi · Square Lake 9 mi · Pinaus Lake 10 mi · Swan Lake 10 mi · Gardom Lake 13 mi · Kernaghan Lake 13 mi
See how Heart Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best kokanee lakes in British Columbia · best lake whitefish lakes in British Columbia · best burbot lakes in British Columbia
More water nearby: Columbia-Shuswap Regional District fishing maps (49 charts). Browse all British Columbia fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.