bigcreekdad

One word....lousy! With all the heavy rains over last week to 10 days, the Chaudiere dams have been open like crazy. River in the French below these is up 3 feet over 10 days ago. I have no idea why this puts the fishing off so much, but it did. Five days of fishing produced less than 10 pike and one walleye. Not even a muskie sighting. Only saving grace were the bass, which, while not going crazy, at least produced a few fish the first 4 days, and probably 30 or so the last day where we fished in rapids. Our results were consistent with the rest of the lodge's fisherman all week. Anyone else fish the French also last week or so?

Anyone have any idea what puts the fish off so under these conditions, and where they go?

Wow.....after looking at those pics, you should add a handgun.......for you.....just before you go over the falls.

If you have both the 6and the 8, I'd take both. If you are limited to one rod of the two, I'd take the 8. Other posters are right....the water you are fishing, the size of your flies, and the presence of wind, shoud dictate it. I've fished the NWT and northern Quebec 4 times, and I always used 8 and 9 wgt rods, and that was for 2 reasons.....fast water and the potential for other species ( ie pike and lakers....both of which could outfight your 6 wgt). Also, if you are a bit under-rodded, but still a skillful angler, you may successfiully land the fish, but may fatigue it to the point it may not ultimately recover.

I caught 3-4 pound brookies last year in Quebec on an 8 wgt and did not at all feel that I was over-rodded.

Another item to mention is that I never take a trip with only one rod. In last two years I have lost the tip section of a rod, and broke a rod on a fish.

Whatever you do, report back....I'm sure you'll have a blast.

thinking about flying up to NW ontario ratherthan driving. Does anyone know what the length restrictions are? Going to be flying Northwest. Also, are there any decent 2 piece muskie rods out there?

I know Navionics has a map of POTW showing depth, but does any exist for Eagle Lake?

If not, I'll probably buy Mapcreate 6 and just have the contours.

Thanks

Oh.....also,thinking about Century Lodge on Eagle in September......anyone with any info on this place?

Like a fool, I bought some a couple of years ago. Should have kown that anything "The Babe" was touting would have to be worthless. Now I use them, but only as a joke....I bring them along on our fly in trips for brookies and lakers. I don't use then, but just lay them out with our gear before we head out.....always gets a good laugh. I honestly can't believe BassPro is carrying them.

Now, I'm kinda sorry I told everyone here I actually bought, and tried, them. Can I still use this board, or do I have to go on probation, or through a committee of some kind?

Gosh, I don't recal, but i remember some spots over 100 feet. I think you'll find quite a range of depths.

I fished several times in the early 90's out of Camp Wanikewin on the Pickeral, which is west of 69, whereas you will be east of it. I've fished your area, as well as further east of that lodge. WE fished primarily muskie, but caught bass and pike at same time. Didn't catch many pickeral, but the way we were fishing usually doesn't. Most of the area east of 69 is wide, with many bays, and two inlets I remember. There are very good weedbeds in the bays, as well as east of your lodge, such as up where the power lines cross. These weed beds will likely contain bass, pike, and muskie. We caught many muskie in the Pickeral, with the largest being a 49" fish taken in the east of 69 water. We've seen, and had on, larger fish. and while we trolled some, we were primarily casting the usual suspects. I would guess casting with rapalas, bucktails, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits will be productive, as well as dragging bait through the weedbeds. For walleye, you'll have to consult with someone up there.

If you go west of 69 bridge, you will need to head several miles before you reach any of the larger bays ( Muskie, Rat, McGougal). If you really want to truck, you can go all the way down to where the pickeral empties into the French. However, if you don't have a 25hp or more motor, I'd stay east of 69. Plenty of good water there. Maybe, for the hell of it, take one day and go west. Pick how far you want to go via map, go there first and fish your way back.

Although I fish the French River primarily now,I quite liked the Pickeral. Luke Worline, A good friend of mine, who also owns the Drifter Bait company (Believer lures) and I fished together there several times. We still talk of the monster he lost at boatside one day, and we often talk of going back, and I'm sure one day we will. If you ever run into Luke at a show, ask him about that experience....it's a good story, and he'll get all fired up recounting it.

Report back.....I'd love to hear how you did.

Thanks lundboy....I'm not concered about depths at all.....just good shore contour, and ability to mark spots with GPS coordinates.

I've got an older Lowrance handheld ifinder. Are there any maps available of entire French River? I realize that the only printed maps that have depths are not available for the river below the Chaudiere dam. I'm looking for good tops without depths, but will help locating bays and marking spots.

Also, I was in Quebec fishing LG4 week before last and out guide had a Garmin handheld that was quite impressive with very good mapping of LG4 (not depths).

Any idea where to get these? I've looked on Navionics website and they don't provide a lot of info on the above areas.

What are you folks using? I was up in northern Quebec last week and our guide had a Garmin with great maps, although they were topos only (no depths).

We had stopped for lunch on a large rock in middl of rapids. Caught him in a pool and he imediately went out of pool and down into fast water. Once he got into fast water he didn't like it any more than I and kept tring to get back up into pool, but when I put pressure on him...back to the fast water. Lots of fun!!

What the heck??.....apparently I have forgotten how to post a picture>

Thanks to advice here, I took chip to a computer store, where they recovered it.

muskiepic.htm

Caught a nice fat 47" muskie on the French today. Took a good pic of ED CRane, Lodge owner/guide holding it up. Pic looked good so we let it go quickly as it had been a long fight in some rapids. Back to camp and try to print it out and....poof...it's gone. No idea what happened, but I guess we'll have to settle on the memory. Just wondering if a photo shop would have any luck recovering it from the chip in the camera?

Next time we'll use two diff cameras.

WE had stopped for shore lunch by some rapids and I hooked it in a pool from the rocks. It ran down and out of the pool and into the fast water. 10 minute fight.....what a kick!!

Rather than get a new pair of prescription sunglasses I tried them last year. Did not like them at all. They just are plain uncomfortable. If you don't wear glasses they are probably fine.....a friend of mine loves his.

Searched and searched, thought and thought....several options made it to top five.....1) Big Kahuna, 2) Prime Rib, 3) Reef Slayer, and 4) The Next Filet......finally settled on "Alumacraft".

I'm on my 10th season with my Magnum 165 tiller. Looking forward to another 10......great fishing boat!!

I go thru the same thing at least twice a year......45+ years now

Where is your cottage? I love that area. Also, did you vote for Bud while you were at the Dokis Marina?

Mover

I fished upper French for many years out of Casa Blanca Lodge, which is about 10 miles downriver from the mouth. I have fished that time of year also. Thefirst responder is right....that can be some tough water especially for walleye that time of year. That being said, it's sill great water. If you get yourself a goodtopo msap, it will be quite helpful, but here are a few thoughts:

1) Satchels Bay is not too far from the mouth and if you finds some larger weedbeds, they will likely contain some walleye. We usually just drifted nightcrawlers for these. That time of year though, you'll likely do best with a good breeze (not strong, but steady) and some overcast or rain. I found this method to not be productive without this. This will also likely produce some good smallmouth also. Satchels has also produced some nice muskie. It's a huge bay (almost a lake), with many of it's own bays and a few minor reefs, and you can spend a lot of time exploring it. Also, if it's a bright and still day, you could fish the deeper waters around the reefs at the western entrance to the bay for walleye.

2) I have found the reeds off of Sandy Island to be good for both pike and bass. Also,try the side of Burnt Island facing Sandy near the canoe channel for pike.

3) For some awesome topwater action for pike and largemouth bass head back into Marsh Bay.

4) Use your topo map and a graph (VERY helpful) to find the reefs coming up from deep water....there are plenty of them.

5) A troll around reefs and even weedy bays with some depth (>8-10') just before and after sunset with rapalas can be good for walleye, and (hang on) the odd muskie.

6) If you are after muskie at all, just pick a shoreline with a little irregular shoreline and pound it.

I'm sure the previous responder will gove you more and probably better, tips.

Although I've spent the last 5 seasons on the lower French (Wolsey Bay Area), I absolutely love the uper French, and wll likely go back. Beautiful water....nothing better than doing a slow troll after a great dinner and watching the sunset. Hell, sometimes you even catch a fish. You'll love it.

My son is developmentally disabled, but loves to fish, and he, I, and his brother have been hitting the French River since he was 12 years old (he's 25 now). In the past he has pretty much stuck to dunking live bait over the side and a little trolling. While he usually catches fish doing this, I'm trying to teach him to cast an opened face outfit. I'm looking for mono with the least memory, to cut down those darn loops that end up on the real if you are not careful. Probably will just sick with 10 pound test. Thanks in advance.

I'm rabid to get back to the French for the muskie opener.....I mean RABID!!

I generally stick to smaller crankbaits and bucktails at beginning of season. I typically don't start topwater till mid season. Going to fish opening week on French River this year. Has anyone had any cnsistent success using topwaters early on?

Going up to Crane's (Wolsey Bay area) June 7th thru 14th to chase muskies. Just ordered a new 60hp Yamaha for my Alumacraft to scoot around a bit quicker. Anyone else going to be up there?