Roy Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Roy Lake sits within Cochrane District in Ontario. Elevation runs to 305 metres. It runs to roughly 16 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Shoreline comes to about 2.1 km, small enough to learn in a day. The nearest town is Iroquois Falls, 28 km away. After that come Timmins at 34 km and Cochrane at 39 km. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Roy Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. County-wide records name northern pike, yellow perch, white sucker, Iowa darter and logperch. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Roy Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 17°C in July and bottom out at -18°C in January. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. Ice-out usually falls in early May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. It holds true on Roy Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. For a change of water, Nerandeau Lake is 1.2 km distant. Nothing here settles the position at Roy Lake for certain.