French Lake

[1kid]

Well I found your guys forum in the winter and enjoyed reading all the posts and replies in between lure building sessions in my basement. So, I registered on and would like to ask for some advice on good lures and lure color that work on French Lake. I'm heading up next week and have never fished the lake before. I heard the water levels are very low, but I'm also wondering what areas produce in spring? On my map the north end of the lake has two inlets and the south has one inlet and rocks that look very interesting. How about those spots to start?

[Muskiefool]

Spinners and jerk-baits do pretty well, good luck launching it's low like you say.

hope you see one and catch 2 LOL

[Rebel9921]

Ahhh... French Lake... one of my favorite lake to fish... but also one of the MOST HEAVILY pressured lake throughout the summer til hunting season starts then thats when it really quiets down and when I start hitting the lake... The Public launch stinks!!! The water's usually SO low there... You'd might want to try launching out of Hoy's Resort... but I dont think its free...

I dont really think anybody including myself would be so willing to point out to you where to start... after all, its an 800acre lake... You basically could just hit the whole lake in a day... Just enjoy the lake, and enjoy the muskies in there... there are more than few large pikes in there too...

Any bucktails including DCG that has Black, Pink, and Silver has worked well for me in the past... 2007- The lake treated me beautifully... 2008- I SKUNKED at the lake... who knows what 2009 will bring me...

[delmuts]

Hoys' resort has a fee for launching, but may be you only option with the low water , and kind of boat/trailer you have. Check you map over for rock pts. , a hump and depth changes. Then you have the weed lines. Good luck!

[Morneau132]

I fished walleyes last night and launched out of the public landing. Had all four tires in on the truck and still had to push the boat off the trailer. The water for the first 80 yards is approx. 2 feet at its deepest. The rocks that you see on your map are completely obvious as the surface above them looks like carpet from all of the curly leaf pond weed. I hear white is a good color for french.....

[1kid]

Thanks alot for the help guys. At least I know what I'm in for at the launch. I brought my boots! Maybe all the rain that's supposed to show up Saturday will help out. Ya know, I had two other questions to throw out there. How is the muskie population in Roberds? If you had a choice would you hit Roberds or French for numbers/size? Thanks again for all the help.

[delmuts]

French is the only lake stocked with muskies. I've been told there are a few in roberds, that came in from french during some high water.Not woth trying for there. Good for other speicies though!

[french_lake_kid]

1kid, roberds has very few but nice skies in it, french is an insane lake! I could show you a few things, out of school so get a hold of me, email, also when excactly are you coming?

[crix]

This year I will be trying out french for the first time Ive been there plenty but never fishing

My buddys got a cabin on it so I got a place to stay too

[smeese]

Yeah that lake could use a little more preassure. I was skinked last year too on that lake, time to try elsewhere

[PC's]

french lake kids gonna show you some bass tactics

[french_lake_kid]

The skie's love 1/4 oz. chatterbaits!!! what can I say

[crix]

French lake ???

So yesterday we decided to go out to french it took an hour to get on no biggie no my first time there but first time fishing it since my buddy has a cabin by that broken down shed thing on the north side

The question I have is does everyone only troll? it seemed we were to only ones attempting to cast for skis

we fished from 6-1030 and dont think saw a fish or anyone else catch anything I used pink, neon green, silver/ blue, gold/copper silver/ white all dgs 8's 10's and 13's nothing!!!

Have you guys noticed any colors that work best there

Topwater??? tried that too creepers lowriders prop baits ect...

Any help is appreciated

Crix

[french_lake_kid]

ALOTTTTTTTTTTTTT of ppl throw top-raiders/tally-wackers, black or black/orange are popular

[crix]

Im gonna give it another try hopefully in the next week or two maybe get out earlier than 6

We had to push the boat off the trailer and my buddy was not to excited about it, but it went on way easier than off so he said he would go again

Any boat deeper that the stratos bass boat on a bunk trailer i dont think would go now but rollers all day just plop them in

[1kid]

!Thanks french lake kid for the offer but I was already there when you responded. I got to french on june 6th and fished til the 12th. What a BRUTAL week! In Illinois before I left you guys were way ahead of us as far as water temp and weed growth and overall fishing conditions. When I got there though, things changed big time! It rained almost every freakin' day, the temp dropped huge, and those weeds! [PoorWordUsage]? I mean I was throwin' everything at the weedline inside and out. Even tried trolling a time or two. I managed to get a VERY small one on Sunday on a bucktail and thought I had a lure and a pattern goin' but it all ended there. The only real excitement during the trip was getting 3 follows on 3 seperate days by big fish on topwaters. One turned at the boat (bout a 50 incher)and splashed my buddy with a wall of water! That got his attention!

[1kid]

So I think it's funny how you can cast for 4-5 hours, troll for a bit for a break, then cast some more, get a follow by a big girl pushin' a big wake behind your topwater, turn off right before your figure 8, and drench you with the "see ya later" splash! And then for some "If I had to explain you wouldn't understand" bumpersticker reason, suddenly you can cast for another couple hours!

[rugbymn]

I'm thinking about hitting the lake this weekend. Any updates on the public landing?

[Muskie maniac]

It has been a few weeks since I was down there but the landing has improved since opener. Apparently the DNR dug a hole right next to the dock at the landing (the pile of sand/muck is at the entrance to the landing) which helped a lot. It is still very shallow but I was able to get out to the main basin with my motor down.

1Kid - I think I saw you a couple of the nights I was down there (I have a blue and gray Ranger Fisherman). You guys had some tough luck. How's your IL season going?

[porterhouse]

It has been a few weeks since I was down there but the landing has improved since opener. Apparently the DNR dug a hole right next to the dock at the landing (the pile of sand/muck is at the entrance to the landing) which helped a lot. It is still very shallow but I was able to get out to the main basin with my motor down.

1Kid - I think I saw you a couple of the nights I was down there (I have a blue and gray Ranger Fisherman). You guys had some tough luck. How's your IL season going?

Thanks for the update muskie maniac.

I'm thinking about hitting French next Monday morning.

Hopefully I can get my 18ft boat in the lake.

Brian

[Muskie maniac]

I've had pretty good luck on French so far this year. Work the inside and outside weed edges on the west side of the lake and you will definitely move a few fish. There hasn't really been a bait or technique that has consistently triggered fish but most fish I've boated or moved on the lake this year have been in 8 FOW off weeds and I've been working 2-4 ft below the surface.

Good luck Porterhouse!