Fishing at French Lake, Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  French Lake is a Lake County water, in Minnesota. The water sits 1,650 feet up. Roughly 116 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Around 2.1 miles of margin, front to back. It sits higher than most water we list in Minnesota. Grand Marais at 36 miles is the nearest place to stop. Ely follows at 44 miles, then Babbitt at 52 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on French Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Lake County include white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike and rainbow trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. The shape of French Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 64°F and January about 4°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. It sets the rhythm of the year at French Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Overnight stays are possible half a mile away. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Seahorse Lake is 0.6 miles distant. Check the position at French Lake before loading the car.