North Roche Lake Fishing Guide, Algoma, Ontario

• Overview

  The Algoma end of Ontario holds North Roche Lake. The setting is taiga. The water covers some 34 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 2.2 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Hornepayne lies 57 km from the water. Hearst lies 62 km off, Kapuskasing another 117 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on North Roche Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Open biodiversity records for Algoma list walleye, northern pike, Iowa darter and yellow perch. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The shape of North Roche Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 16°C on average, January about -18°C. The ice season is long here and the open one short. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at North Roche Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Norris Lake, 2.4 km away. Rules at North Roche Lake are worth checking on the day.