Shore Fishing Report

[Quickstrike]

also got out today with no luck but it seemed some guys were doing well as a saw a few people leave with 3 fish.

[BD110]

wippersnpr, Matthothand, Quick and gang,

Well another day spent at the French. Things got a little better for me around 3:30 after Matt showed up. Nice job netting that buck Matt. Wippersnpr nice to see you on the shore. I hope to get a chance to fish with you again. Quick I usually try to fish right below where I park my truck. sometime north of that. If you see my truck again stop by and say hi. It seems I have luck when people stop down to see me or to show up and fish with me. So If anyone sees my truck parked at the French stop by and see if you can be my lucky charm.

Take care guys,

Tom (BD110)

[wall-i-king]

Deep Diver

I heard you were looking for a fishing partner tomorrow and I am looking to get down. I tried calling you and didn't get you. Hopefully I can get a hold of you. I will give you a call but if you see this either post here or give me a call hope to talk to you later.

keep fishin'

wall-i-king

[Quickstrike]

[deepdiver]

Wall-i-king, Sorry about that phone wasnt on... Had a rough nite last night so not going to be heading out fishing anytime soon. Let us know how ya did if ya make it down there.

DD

[Quickstrike]

bearing the weather i plan on getting out sometime tommorrow for a couple hours, how did everyone do today?

[Casaloma]

While I still have 3 Loopers in freeze I didn't fish today but stopped by the French to 'walk the dog' & look at fish. In the 2 hours I was there I saw 4 Loopers come in. No real monsters but the guys that got em on waxies were happy. Nice day & fewer people than I expected to see there. Any other FMers on the French today? I was the guy with the dog.

Later- CLoma

[Quickstrike]

wow, fished bluebird today and it looked like the french was packed!!! anyways, pretty slow, berry got a coho and that was it, nice day to be out anyways. i hope for a little better luck this week.

[mattkimk]

Sorry for my ignorance. Where is Bluebird? I had read previously that it is a goog location to build a fire and I am thinking of bringing the kids up this weekend and try my luck.

thanks

[Quickstrike]

it's a few miles past the french across the street from shore crest supper club and up the shore a few 100 yds. there is a turn around and a small parking area with an old boat launch that is now tore up, hard to miss. if you hit the sucker river you've gone too far.

[I'llTakeWhatiCanGet]

Kent I got your message. Sounds like a plan- I'm gonna write about that cat hunting controversy in WI for this week. You going out fishing today?

[Quickstrike]

yeah, i'll be out around 2 at the french for a few hours. it's too nice to stay inside.

[BD110]

Hey Quick,

We were fighting the ice all morning at the French. I'm not sure if it will be any better this afternoon.

Good luck,

Tom (BD110)

[Quickstrike]

yeah, i didn't go out today, last few times out have been slow and cold, a day inside actually sounds nice today.

[matthothand]

Well, that was a short trip. Previously unknown to me there is a lot of ice preventing any fishing from shore. Since I'm awake and have to work shortly I might as well pack gear for the trip to LOTW and Rainy...and hopefully URL.

For those that make it out to the shore while I'm up nort' on the hard water, please save me a few fish for when I get back.

[Quickstrike]

hey matt, how far up did you go this morn? thinking about going out for a few hours and wondering if stoney or the stewart would be an option. thanks.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

quick, are you going to be out at all tomorrow or friday? im going out at some point one of those 2 days. man, school has got me bogged down before spring break. i dont even get a break because my limnology teacher decided we needed to do this huge lab assignment thats due when we get back. so much for a "break".

[Riverratpete]

Really want to get up there this Sat but kinda watching the weather. couple questions though. 1. Is the east wind as bad it sounds? and is the ice that bad or just in spots?. thanks.

[Quickstrike]

i'll be out for a few hours around noon tommorrow if it looks like the ice has cleared out, and maybe friday morning if the conditions allow it. otherwise i'll be packing and getting ready for my lake michigan steelhead trip.

[deepdiver]

Oh Quick, Head on your trip to Mexico. Heck if you need someone to fill a ticket for cheap I am sure the wall-i-king would easily go with ya.

[backcast]

I took a drive up scenic 61 this (weds.) afternoon. Here is what I saw. Mostly iced over with broken ice from Lester River to Talmadge River, section of open water both sides of the river with some shore ice. Past the open water at Talmadge River, iced over, broken ice for the 1 1/2 miles before the French River. I saw people ice fishing both sides of the French River.

Pulled in parking lot NE side of river and there were 6 people straight out from the parking lot, furthest one out approx. 40 yds. Talked to two how came off of the ice, thickness 1 1/2" was spongey when they first got there but started to firm up.

They saw several fish swim by but non had caught any from what I could see (I stayed on shore). They did have a board near shore to cross out to ice. Some busted up ice pushed up along the shoreline (1'-2' high). At the French looking straight out, iced over at least a mile out.

I watched for 20 minutes, the rest started to come in. Drove up to Blue Bird Landing. From French to Blue Bird mostly iced over. Did see a vehicle parked there but didn't see anyone from road out on the ice. Just past Blue Bird Landing then ice, broken ice all way to Stoney Point from what I could see from road. Stony Point at the wall, bay was iced over with ice, broken ice.

Hope this helps. Remember, no ice is safe ice. Conditions can, do and will change depending on many factors, currents, wind shift, temps etc. If you venture out, be safe, be smart, bring a buddy, bring a rope, bring/wear a life vest, etc.

[Riverratpete]

Backcast, Thanks for the info, sounds like I may have to wait until next wknd,hopefully get a good W/NW blow going send the ice to sconie land. Guess it looks like perch fishing through the ice this wknd.

[Quickstrike]

thinking of casting off the breakwall today, has anyone heard any reports up there or ever had any success this early in the year, only fish i have ever gotten off of there have been lakers late in the summer or early autumn.

[shogun]

My first post this year, can't wait to get fishing. I drove up the shore this morning and everything is stil all iced up. People ice fishing the french, even a couple portable houses. I think it's just silly to go out on an inch and a half of ice. I watched for a while and didn't see anyone catch anything. You could tell they were weary of it breaking by the way they were all walking baby-steps out there with their chisels. Sounds like it will be iced up for a while. East winds predicted through Saturday, 20-30mph tonight and tomorrow. Best chance sounds like Thursday or Friday of next week.

[Quickstrike]

i was out on that one and a half inches of ice and saw nearly as many people break through as fish that were caught. i saw 2 loopers and a coho come in in a few hours. man the ice is spongey, if you make it out be very careful, i even had a foot go through, once that sun hits the sky the ice gets bad in a hurry.

[MrSenarighi]

You can never trust the extended forecast, especially the wind velocity and direction. That wind could change to N at a moment's notice and we could be fishing in no time. I also second the fact that you are toying with death ice-fishing the shore right now, so please be extremely careful.

[Quickstrike]

everyone was in about only 3 feet or less of water but if you go through like i saw someone today you are going to get very cold very fast.

[buffelhead]

Hey, I was fishing the French 2 years ago, and an old man told me a story about a guy who went out on the ice in the early morning. The wind switched and blew the ice out and he was rescued by helicopter? Myth or Not??? Anybody know??

[Quickstrike]

it's happened more then a few times.

[coldwaterfan]

breakwall can be productive for loopers and steelies this time of year. Just need open water and no ice on the wall. Couple weeks ago I didn't have any luck, but the guy next to me caught a nice 27-28" steelie. IF there is open water you may as well give it a try