Fishing at French Lake, Polk County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Polk County in Wisconsin is where French Lake sits. It lies 1,109 feet above sea level. At roughly 4 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. On size it sits at the modest end of our Polk County list. Clear Lake is the closest town at 1.8 miles. The big place round here is Saint Paul, 45 miles distant. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on French Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Fish documented in Polk County include brown trout, rainbow trout, northern pike and largemouth bass. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Fish French Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 70°F on average, January about 10°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. After early April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Climate figures give an open season running early April to late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. The season on French Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Clear Lake, 1.1 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the current arrangement for French Lake.