French Farm Lake in Cheboygan County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Michigan holds French Farm Lake, in Cheboygan County. It stands 607 feet above sea level. The water covers around 590 acres, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. The edge covers about 6.4 miles, enough to hold several distinct areas. On our Cheboygan County list it sits near the top for size. You are 8.7 miles from Saint Ignace. Green Bay sits 180 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on French Farm Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Survey and observation records for Cheboygan County include yellow perch, rock bass and white sucker. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. French Farm Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 67°F, the coldest about 17°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. Climate averages put the opening at about mid April and the closing near early December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. French Farm Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Public data records a boat ramp half a mile out. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Dow Lake, 3 miles away. For French Farm Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.