French and Diamond Lake - Dayton

[Brocster]

Hi all,

I hope the season is going well and safe for you. Quick question(s) -

Can you hunt Diamond and French Lake in Dayton and does anyone have any experience here? It is close to work and may offer a quick midweek hunt spot for me if it is doable.

On Diamond, I am not sure how close to the road you can hunt. Seems like there are some good places next to the shore, but the road comes up pretty close to it.

Thanks,

Broc

[airdriver]

You had better call the Dayton police with Diamond. Certain places you can hunt, others you can't.(ie the island can only be hunted facing the road) One of the home owners was shot a couple years ago. Also, on Diamond, you had better get there early, around 330 am. The place is busy. French is the same, but you have to hunt from the boat. Only one place to stand, and someone would have to show you the spot. Both places are heavily hunted, with a mixed bag of hunters. Some are very polite, others will cut you off at the landing. Used to hunt both, now like most locals around the lake, I try to avoid them. However, evening hunts you most likely have the place to yourself. Hope this helps.

[Stringerless!]

3:30 ???? I am on the way there just cause I get to sleep in ! It is a shame that we have to do this. Don't get me wrong. I love getting up early. But when a guy starts feeling like he needs to be there at midnight it is just wrong. Hunting public land is challenging but can be rewarding SOMETIMES !

[strait-meat]

remember in Dayton you have to be 1500ft from buildings/livestock and not the normal 500ft. The DNR patrols this area a lot and likes to write tickets for this. Enjoy!

[Superduty]

The 500 foot normal state statute does not apply when you are on the water. You can legally set up 10 feet in front of a building if you are in your boat on the water. Does Dayton have a specific law written for 1500 feet and does it apply to water?

[Riverratpete]

Spent alot of time on French back in the day, used to get a pretty good Diver shoot later in the season but that was back in the eighties and nineties before everything built up and French became a minnow stock pond. My guess is that you need to be there early, during the week or in the evening..its always been that way even back then..did have some pretty good shoots out there though..even took a cold bath once. Good luck!

[Brocster]

Thanks everyone. Drove by there on the way to work this morning, and French was loaded with I swear a thousand coots. There were a bunch of Honkers and what looked like Mallards swimming around too, but the coot show was almost worth staying around and watching.

One trailer in the parking area, and sitting there as well was a DNR truck.

May be interested in canoeing back into the reeds one day in the middle of the week to check things out, especially if a front moves through. 15 minutes to work, so that is really the main attraction.

[Where's Walter?]

I used to hunt on Diamond in the mid-90's. There were always some birds, and A LOT of hunters.....but that's how it is when you city hunt. My best piece of advice is to watch your dog (and your partners) at the landing....my dog got hit by someone in a truck going 40-50. Luckily, my dog had a hard head.

[strait-meat]

The 500 foot normal state statute does not apply when you are on the water. You can legally set up 10 feet in front of a building if you are in your boat on the water. Does Dayton have a specific law written for 1500 feet and does it apply to water?

Yes you are correct the 500 ft rule doesn't apply to water--I should not have included but the city of Dayton does have a rule for 1500 ft and yes it applies to water. I think there are only 5-7 spots where you can hunt on that lake where you will not be in violation of the law. I stopped by and talked to the CO when he was waiting for the guy to come in to give him a ticket for being to close to a building.