Former power-plant cooling lake

Heidecke Lake

Grundy County, Illinois

Heidecke Lake is a former cooling reservoir of about 1,955 acres southeast of Morris in Grundy County, managed as a state fish and wildlife area by IDNR. It is known for bass, striped bass hybrids, walleye and muskellunge fishing from a three-lane concrete ramp.

Air temp in Morris, IL Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Heidecke Lake (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area1,955 acres

Max depth—

Shoreline—

Boat motorsUnlimited horsepower (40 mph max speed except no-wake areas; gasoline motor required as main propulsion)

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Largemouth Bass●●●●○

Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.

Smallmouth Bass●●●○○

Rock, gravel and points. Tubes, jerkbaits and drop-shots.

Walleye●●●○○

Points, flats and reefs at low light. Jigs and live bait early, crankbaits and crawler harnesses in summer.

Muskellunge●●○○○

Big baits along weed edges and rock bars, best in fall.

White Bass●●●○○

Schools chasing shad in open water, and spring river runs.

Channel Catfish●●●○○

Cut bait and nightcrawlers on flats and creek mouths in the evening.

Boat launches

2 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

Heidecke Lake boat rampRamp
Three-lane concrete ramp, 100+ vehicle/trailer parking, handicap accessible, no launch fee; 5010 N. Jugtown Rd, MorrisDirections ↗
More public accessPublic
See the IDNR or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Heidecke Lake are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: Illinois Department of Natural Resources ↗

Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.

Jon's Bait & Tackle ShopNearby
430 Rice Rd, South Wilmington(815) 237-2822 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Heidecke Lake ↗

Local tips

Pole-and-line fishing only, two poles per angler; sub-legal fish must be released immediately.
Boat fishing closes when winds reach 25 mph or higher; bank fishing is available at the Bank Fishing Area off E. Collins Rd.
Season opens April 1 and closes 10 days before waterfowl season; boating access 6 a.m. to sunset.

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Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.

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Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.