Roy Lake Fishing Guide, Mahnomen County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Minnesota holds Roy Lake, in Mahnomen County. The land about it is lake country bush. This is sizeable water at about 684 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. The outline measures near 4.2 miles, so local knowledge counts. On our Mahnomen County list it sits near the top for size. Bagley lies 16 miles from the water. Further out sit Mahnomen (20 miles) and Fosston (20 miles). It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Roy Lake

  Survey data gives a maximum of roughly 21 feet. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Public occurrence data for Mahnomen County names rainbow trout, white sucker and northern pike. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Roy Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 67°F in July and bottom out at 4°F in January. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and mid November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. That is the shape of the year on Roy Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. A made slipway is half a mile from here, which settles the boat question. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. There is a pier recorded roughly half a mile away. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Long Lake, 2.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing on Roy Lake should be assumed from this page alone.