French Lake Logs?

[HuntFishDude]

So I'm curious, I went to French Lake for the first time this past sunday am. Casting for a hour and then noticed what looked to be a log drifting towards us? When it got about 20 yards, it kinda porposed and I could see at least 9 " of girth. Wasn't until I saw some slight side to side action that I realized it was a fish. Casted a few times in front but to no avail as it eventually dove down. I am new to muskie fishing but I assumed this was a muskie as it looked to be huge. Is this common behavior or what? I did see another doing the same although smaller I did get a follow from that one.

[Dhook]

I have seen this out on French and other lakes. It's hard to say what they a doing for sure but it's a sight to see. Me and a buddy thought that it was a beaver or muskrat until the sun hit its cheek and started to shine. It's almost like they are checking to see if anyone is fishing around them, wierd.

[Matt C]

Thats the elusive French Lake muskie. Happens to me at least twice a year out there while walleye or pan fishing. Nothing like a 50 inch fish staring you down.

There are some monsters in that lake.

[pikehunter78]

My Sister and Brother-in-law live on Cedar Lake near New Prague. This is also DNR maintained Muskie Fishery. My Brother-in-law has also witnessed this phenomenon on Cedar with large Muskies swimming at the surface. In his case, he's seen it twice, both times right next to his boat. They seemed to be oblivious to his presence--swimming slowly with their mouths open. A friend of his said he heard that Muskies often do this after eating something big, much like a snake basically goes into a trance to digest a big meal after it swallows it. I have no idea where his friend got this info but it seems to make sense to me. I know after a big meal, I just lay around and don't care much what's going on around me I gotta get down to French and try for Muskies this fall. I hear too many good things about that lake to pass it up an longer.

[Can'tFishEnuf]

I don't know if this is true, but I've heard that they are sunning themselves when they do that. A way of warming-up their body. Fish are cold blooded and they can metabolize food better when there body tempature is warmer.

[yamydude]

I have also had this happen to me 3 differnt times on french it is almost like they are checking for fisherman and laughing at them. every time i have seen this i have not caught a muskie on that day kind of wierd i also know that every time i have seen this it is a bright calm day that is warm

[french_lake_kid]

I've seen this probly 20 times on french. Last time was just last night, I was running, and gunning, and saw something on the surface. I always go over to check to see what it was. Low & behold it was a skie. I turned the motor off and drifted towards it, it acted like I wasn't even there. Grabbed a chatter-bait and it did nothing, it kept swimming, hit the side of my boat then went down. I've seen big northerns do this too, I heard it was that they ate something, and its stuck in there throat. They aren't chocking, but trying to get it down. Who knows?

[def]

Maybe they are looking for a smaller fisher person to eat