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275-acre lake near Houghton County. The lake tops out around 40 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
The outline encloses 277 acres, worked by 3.1 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.3 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. About 58% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Figure 1.1 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.6 mi at the beam. Houghton County claims this one. Lake Gerald sits 1 mi northeast — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring brook trout on Lake Roland hold shallow, usually 2 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 20 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 10 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Come spring, look for lake trout tight to the bank in 10 to 40 ft. Through summer count on 12 to 40 ft; the winter hold is 10 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 40 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning. A white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
When the water first warms, splake slide up into 5 to 25 ft. Summer is a 12 to 40 ft game here, winter a 9 to 40 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 10 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a trolled spoon at the thermocline or a white tube jig (deep) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small casting spoon (gold/orange), Inline spinner |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Trolled spoon at the thermocline, White tube jig (deep) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 9 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jigging spoon tipped with minnow head, Small white tube |
Early season rainbow trout use the shallows, holding in 5 to 20 ft. Summer is an 8 to 30 ft game here, winter an 8 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 10 ft, prime for winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, muskellunge slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is an 8 to 25 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 10 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. Keep a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (40 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Lake Roland also holds smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), largemouth bass (8 to 20 ft in summer), crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 7 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 40 ft.
Access data: Michigan DNR — Michigan Boating Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Lake Roland specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Lake Roland is about 40 ft (12 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target brook trout, lake trout, splake, rainbow trout, yellow perch, muskellunge, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill on Lake Roland. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 40 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For brook trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Lake Roland is regulated by the Michigan DNR. Check the official Michigan regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Lake Gerald 1 mi · Emily Lake 2 mi · Sandy Lake 3 mi · Clear Lake 4 mi · Pike Lake 4 mi · Toivola Lake (West) 7 mi · Thirteenmile Lake 9 mi · Courtney Lake 10 mi · Lake Perrault 11 mi · Sturgeon River (UP) 13 mi · Otter Lake 13 mi · Prickett Lake 15 mi
See how Lake Roland stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best crappie lakes in Michigan · best bluegill lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Houghton County fishing maps (21 charts). Browse all Michigan fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.