French lake muskies????

[T Bone]

Anyone know when the muskies start turning on, we will only be able to fish there once so the most detailed you could be would be GREAT! we went there last year but i think it was too early in the year. it was all green and mucky then, but i keep hearing how great a muskie lake that place is in the fall, but what time?

and what lures should we be fishing with and should we be fishing in the shallows or off that giant bar. when does it turnover? or should we just try going to waconia?

[Scottie Thomas]

If you will only be there once I would worry about the local conditions while you were there and a few days previous to your day.

Look at wind, air & water temps, whether its going to be pre/post frontal, etc...

That being said, I used to fish it quite a bit in October. Its nice because the water cleans up and you should have the lake nearly to yourself. We have done well nearly anywhere on the lake, seriously, but some there are some better spots than others. Try the T-bar just to right of the access or spots along the NW shoreline. For baits, I would go with Mag Dawgs, smaller bucktails, or a maybe un-conventional topwater bait in October. If you are fishing shoreline, I don't think there is a bad spot on the lake, just some that are 'better'.

Maybe others can chime in too, I haven't been there in October in a year...

[marine_1]

Launch at the Resort the public launch is usually way too shallow by the fall.

[T Bone]

i was thinking about buying a bulldawg, but i have never used one, what is the go to color for those things? and how should i fish them?

ohh, and thanks for all the tips!

[mainbutter]

Bulldawgs are great, I've seen more follows on them this year than any other lure. I fish 'em pretty much just straight, speed of retrieval is increased if I'm fishing shallow, otherwise I fish them pretty slow.

Colors.. well that is always debatable, but it's hard to go wrong with most colors.

[AWH]

All of the bulldawg colors are effective. But for what it's worth, Walleye is the best selling color. This doesn't mean the fish like it the best (sometimes they do, sometimes they want something else). But it's definitely an effective color.

Aaron

[crix]

I have no faith or luck with bulldogs Ive only seen 1 follow on them my dogs sit on the bench at home

should I be just straight retrieving them instead of jerking/jigging

[JRedig]

Black! Once you go black, you'll never go back...

[crix]

I have a black one Maybe I will try throwing them more this weekend

[AWH]

crix, I've had my best luck on dawgs by jerking or ripping them. But any retrieve will work. If you aren't seeing fish on them, try a different retrieve. You can straight retrieve them, jig them, jerk them, rip them, burn them. I know a few guys that throw bulldawgs or other similar baits well over 50% of the time from opener to ice up and their results speak for themselves.

Aaron

[jiggin' fool]

I have read posts from others that say to launch at the resort on French. I did a search on the web, came up with Knippel's Resort on French, but when I call them, I get a "sorry, this number had been disconnected".

Anybody know if this is the resort.., are they closed for the season.., if so.., how do you put in your rig on French? I have a larger boat, a Ranger, and I would like to fish French this fall. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[delmuts]

The resort you are looking for is Hoys! When you are going to the public ramp, you turn right to Hoys instead of left to the public one.

[Muddog]

Have a map! The Two landings are not easy to find the first time.

I've seen lakes with less boat traffic and less stocking that have more and better public landings. I find it odd that the DNR counts on a private pay landing for access to a lake like this! Does the owner of Hoys have state position?

[crix]

the last time we were there we barley got on at hoys

But the dnr was diggin out the public access to make it better for bigger boats

we fish from a stratos bass boat and almost couldn't get it on french

[jiggin' fool]

Thanks guys for the help. I am thinking I might just pass this up. God I HATE fighting to get a rig back on the trailer. Glass-boats and bunk-trailers are not conducive to shallow-launches. Or "uneven" launches for that matter. I fish a spot in WI that the launch drops BAD to one side, right at the spot you need to stop to get her up on the trailer. Plunk.., and the trailer is at a 15-degree angle, listing badly to the right. Sometimes it doesn't run up true, and I have to then back her in and out and in and out to line her up.

That is the one thing about aluminum-boats and roller-trailers that I miss!!!!! Get 'em started and crank 'em up. You ain't gonna do that with a big glass boat!!!!!!

Crix, when were you there last.., when was the DNR dredging the public access? I wonder if that is a go now???

[crix]

It was july We havent tried since because of the bad landings