Fishing at Roll Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  The Thunder Bay District end of Ontario holds Roll Lake. It sits at 448 metres above sea level. At 7 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Thunder Bay District. The town to know is Amethyst Harbour, 13 km out. Further out sit Shuniah Township (17 km) and Current River (26 km). It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Roll Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Work Roll Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 17°C; the cold one sits at -16°C. Cold dominates the year and the fishing works around it. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. The water is typically free of ice between early May and mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Roll Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Young Lake is 2.9 km distant. What applies at Roll Lake may have changed since it was mapped.