French Lake Skies......

[jiggin' fool]

I live within an hour of French Lake. I am always trying to sneak away a time or two to fish for muskies each year, (as my significant other loves to fish, and is NOT much on fishing Muskies.., it's always got to be walleyes.., or salmon). Anyway, I have read on this forum, MUCH about the great muskie fishing..., and have "heard it through the grapevine" as well. But in the very same breath.., someone else will crucify French Lake as a scum-filled, pleasure-boater's paradise with terrible accesses.
Can someone give me the skinny on this lake?? Is the scum so bad that it really "drips off your line, and gets your rod guides filled".., as in is it even fishable in the summer? Also, is there launch access other than the public??? I don't mind paying a reasonable fee to launch somewhere that is decent!!! And lastly, I have also heard that the muskie fishing pressure is tremendous. It has been my experience that you need to work baits other's don't throw alot, (as in bucktails), to get some response from the fish. (I do LOVE topwater baits)!!!!!
I am planning a trip this Friday, July 2nd, and any info anyone would be willing to share would be MUCH welcomed!!!!!

------------------
You should have been here yesterday....,

[hawkeye43]

the scum is bad, if you dont like it try it in 6 months. Could you see one of them muskies in a 8" hole. That would be something to brag about

[Big G]

Pressure is bad.
Alot of fish are kept.
The lake turns green.
Expect to see 40 to 60 boats any given weekend chasing the fish.

I only live 30 minutes away and I would rather driver farther to other lakes to fish for muskies.

Now: for the positive side.
There are a ton of fish in there.
There are a ton of big fish too!
Generally, small baits work well, or go goofy large if you suspect the fish to be "hot". A 12" to 14" bait will get you bit. However, I know more people who have caught muskies on that lake with a flu-flu (while chasing crappies) than I have with regular musky baits.

There, I just gave you the best advice/secret you are going to get all day!!! These fish eat bass, crappies, sunnies, & walleyes. They eat them for a living. They are eating machines.

So, Go find your school of suspending crappies. Catch a dozen or so, which stirs up the water below the surface, then start working it for the muskies. Or, if the fish suddenly "quit biting", it is because a muskie rolled into the area and the crappies high tailed it. Better yet, take a kid with you to catch the panfish, while you keep fishing for the muskies. The tunas will run in the area because of the commotion under the water with the fish getting caught. You will connect! These fish are hot and hungry when they do this. It is almost fail proof.

As for sunnies on the spawning beds. Again, take a kid fishing for the sunnies (there are some quality sunnies in there). Fish the beds that are 4+ feet deep, don't fish the shallow beds close to shore. The muskies will bail out of those areas at first light.

Lastly, leave the dang fish in the lake. This lake has the worse reputation of people keeping mediorce fish for the wall. A 45 to 50 inch muskie is no more of a trophy for the wall than a 6 pound walleye or 4 pound bass. Yes, trophies are in the eye of the beholder, but you can get good replicas done. So many fish have been yanked out of this water, for whatever reason. It is too bad too.

------------------
Let em go, so they can grow!

[jiggin' fool]

BIG G,

I thank you sir, for your honest response. It is refreshing to get a response such as this.
As to the kid, well my significant other will cause the "ruckus"..., as she won't be fishing skies!!!! Way tooooo boring for her. (But ohhhh how excited she gets when she sees a fish follow and "boil" at the boat)!!!!! I had planned on her fishing "others" while I toss the major hardware!!!! Hopefully, she will get them riled up. You aren't the first person to tell me about the muskies in French honing in on a good crappie bite, and nailing a fighting crappie at boat side.
And as to keeping muskies..., not a chance. A digital camera is in the boat at all times, and ALL large fish are CPR-ed, regardless of species. (That's what tapes, photos and graphite replicas are for).
Thanks again for the advice. I think I will save French for week-day excursions.
Have a great summer, and if you are ever on French, or Lake Pepin, and you see an 18-foot Lund Explore, black, with a 115-horse Suzuki on the backend, swing on over and introduce yourself. And if you are interested in walleyes, and have never fished Pepin much, and have a hankerin' to do so..., let me know. I would be happy to return the favor.
Tight lines this summer, my friend!!!!!

------------------
You should have been here yesterday....,

[delmuts]

jig. yes the little lake gets alot of pressure. in another post the guy said on weekends the trailers are still parked all the way up to the top of the hill. yes the lake does get green( as do most of the lakes in that area) the public boat ramp is decent other than it is shallow. with the water level up it isn't as bad. no big problem if you have another person to finish backing the rig in. you do have to back in farther to float a boat.your wife may find a walleye as you fish too. del

[Big G]

As for these folks who like to keep fish..............rumor has it that there WAS a 54", 49", & a 47" that WERE in the lake, but are now getting stuffed............by the same person..................

I just don't get it..........Such big fish in the lake, and such few of them, and such a small body of water.........yet, just keep yanking them out of there............

Then complain that there ain't any big fish in the lake...........

------------------
Let em go, so they can grow!

[jiggin' fool]

Delmuts,

Thank you also for your advice. It is much appreciated!!!!!!
As to those that are keeping those big fish.., what a shame!!!! I'm not even an advocate of keeping 1.., but I do understand someone keeping one for the right reasons. If someone has a "personal best", and won't be killing another one, and this one is destined for the wall..., well if a graphite repro won't do, then keep it if you must. But to keep ALL the big ones you catch...., hmmm!!!! I have two fish mounted. A 31" walleye, and a 44" Chinook salmon that I took on a fly with 6# test leader. That fish was DOA in a couple weeks anyway!!!!
The rest of the nice fish I have caught, and there are a bunch of them, were all released!!!!!! I have pictures, and I have measurements. I may or may not do graphites on one or two of them!!!
But thanks again to all of you that responded. It is appreciated.

------------------
You should have been here yesterday....,

[eyesontonka]

Big G

I think your correct on the 3 sizes but i heard it was 3 brothers all catching 1..1 of them made the way to the taxidermy shop for a 3 fish deal..Just what i heard..Replica cost a little bit more but atleast you have the chance to catch the fish down the road to beat your personal best...and allow others to have some fun..

[MARINERMAGNUM]

2 years ago i got a 52" in the cradle,my fire tiger super shad rap was WAY down his throat,bleeding terribly bad,got it out quickly,tried for over an hour to get fish revived with no luck,it would just sink when we let go of it,no response. my sister is a taxid. so she skinned it,we ate as much as we could [wow,tasted terrible] she did stuff it for me,which is nice no labor,i just pay for materials. i always wondered what i could have done diffrent to save that fish? it was fought about 10 mins. before we got it in the cradle. any ideas? thanks.

[Big G]

Hey;

Don't get me wrong. I do have a 29lb pike on the wall. I released a 24lb pike. But that 29 pounder is my only one. Why did I keep it. Well, she was so big, and I caught her on a small minnesota lake up north.........I just couldn't let her out of my hands. The fish is the most beautiful pike I've ever laid eyes too. Just a perfect fish. I caught her walleye fishing on a 6lb lindy rig.......

Anyways, I don't have a problem with a "personal best" on the wall. AND I chased that 54"er...I think.........On French. Anyways, I did have a mid 50s fish that was in the mid 40s weight come to the boat 4 times on a follow...........

And YES!!!!!! When the fish isn't going to recover, KEEP IT!!!! Don't let a fish die and rot, for fear of peer pressure on CPR. Put it on the wall.

However, as fragile as these fish are, be responsible with your actions. Sometimes they do swallow hooks and they are about dead when you get them to the boat. There is nothing to do...........

HOWEVER, if you don't have the right gear (proper spreaders, bolt cutters, the right pliers, plus the a good net or craddle) than don't fish for them........because YOU will kill them.

Some think that these beast are power houses. In all reality, they fight for about 5 minutes and they are completely exhausted..........pushing death............If you don't have the proper gear to net/cradle and perform a quick release..........again.......don't fish them...............

Maybe some may think I'm pushing the "boundries" here with my preaching...........

But..........what would happen if 1 day, the muskies went insane on French.........And the 40 boats with 2 anglers each all kept one fish that day...........There would be 80 fish pulled out of the lake in 1 day...............

Muskies reproduction cannot handle that type of pressure...........They don't reproduce that fast!!!

Be good, gentle, and responsible.

And yes, if you catch the monster of a life time.........and you want to put it on the wall..........sobeit.............But today's replicas are slowly starting to get better..........to the point you can't tell the difference. They ain't quite there yet.........but are close............

LOTW has established a 54" minimum limit for muskies. I wish it would become state wide.........just to protect these fragile fish.

Trophys are in the eye of the beholder..........especially when it comes to deer hunting..........But with deer, you can't really release and harvest is needed. I respect the new or young hunter with his/her first buck on the wall, that might only be a 4 or 6 pointer. I think it is good and healthy.

But I have no respect for the 47 or 49 inch muskie on the wall, just like I don't have any respect for the 4lb bass or 6lb walleye. That is what large pictures are for and even replicas.

Hey, if Doug Johnson, Pete Maina, Bob Mesikomer, Dick Pearson can all release fish over 55", up to 58" and show off pictures...........why can't you??? These guys taught us how to fish, along with many others............And they don't need to knife them...........Why do you need to knife them..........

Enough of my rant.......

------------------
Let em go, so they can grow!

[Guest]

Just running this up for Musky 1