Fishing Roach Lake in Chippewa County, Michigan

• Overview

  Roach Lake stands in Chippewa County, Michigan. Elevation runs to 617 feet. It covers about 3 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is a small entry by Chippewa County standards. Nearest town is Sault Ste. Marie, 17 miles off. The nearest city of size is Greater Sudbury, 155 miles away. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Roach Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Chippewa County cover rainbow smelt, bloater, lake whitefish and alewife. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Roach Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 65°F and January reads 14°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about early December in an average year. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. It sets the rhythm of the year at Roach Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Deer Lake sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Roach Lake if anything is unclear.