French Lake, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  French Lake is a Rice County water, in Minnesota. It sits in rolling bush country. At 868 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. The margin runs to about 4.9 miles in total. It is one of the larger waters we list anywhere in Minnesota. Faribault lies 6.8 miles from the water. Further out sit Lonsdale (9.9 miles) and Dundas (11 miles). Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on French Lake

  The basin drops to a measured 58 feet. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Rice County cover common carp, bluegill, largemouth bass, black bullhead and walleye. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Read French Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 71°F and January near 12°F on the long-run figures. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Open water usually runs from early April until about late November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Plan any trip to French Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Mud Lake, 2.2 miles away. Check the current arrangement for French Lake.