French River East of 69 to Crooked Rapids Help !!

[chrispyke]

We are going up to Sand Beach Lodge next week and need some help. Sand beach itself is a great place to stay, a little expensive, but the wife could use a break ! I have been here before with limited success, in fact, I showed the guide the one spot I caught walleye by crooked rapids

 

All though there is a lot of water in this section of the french, I find it difficult to find those 'eyes unless I make the 40 minute trip to the crooked rapids.

 

I've read the reports of the french that water levels are down and the fishing is tough. They must be somewhere.

 

In some past reports the opening around shell camp is good and look for areas of the river that have bottle necked to create current. Is there much to fish west of the 69 bridge, that water is moving pretty fast ?

 

I read in another post across from cross island can be good.

 

Is there any really good walleye spots closer to the camp and Dry Pine Bay. I have a 75hp and can get anywhere pretty good.

 

Any help would be appreciated !

 

On another note, I know the Woolsley bay section very well and am happy to pm details of spots to those heading to Woolsley Bay. I have map that shows 20+ years of fishing success for that part of the river.

 

Why not go there ? Th acommadations and food at SBL are very good, we considered Lochaven, but it is pretty isolated on an island not good for the odd day trip to Sudbury or Kilarney

 

We are not only looking for walleye spots, pike, bass muskie are useful too...not that I'm asking for too much !

 

Thanks in advance !

 

BL

[Chugger]

We are going up to Sand Beach Lodge next week and need some help. Sand beach itself is a great place to stay, a little expensive, but the wife could use a break ! I have been here before with limited success, in fact, I showed the guide the one spot I caught walleye by crooked rapids

 

All though there is a lot of water in this section of the french, I find it difficult to find those 'eyes unless I make the 40 minute trip to the crooked rapids.

 

I've read the reports of the french that water levels are down and the fishing is tough. They must be somewhere.

 

In some past reports the opening around shell camp is good and look for areas of the river that have bottle necked to create current. Is there much to fish west of the 69 bridge, that water is moving pretty fast ?

 

I read in another post across from cross island can be good.

 

Is there any really good walleye spots closer to the camp and Dry Pine Bay. I have a 75hp and can get anywhere pretty good.

 

Any help would be appreciated !

 

On another note, I know the Woolsley bay section very well and am happy to pm details of spots to those heading to Woolsley Bay. I have map that shows 20+ years of fishing success for that part of the river.

 

Why not go there ? Th acommadations and food at SBL are very good, we considered Lochaven, but it is pretty isolated on an island not good for the odd day trip to Sudbury or Kilarney

 

We are not only looking for walleye spots, pike, bass muskie are useful too...not that I'm asking for too much !

 

Thanks in advance !

 

BL

 

 

Wish I could help you out, but we mainly fish the Wolesley bay area. Would love to hear what you know about hte area as the last few times we've gone up we haven't done well at all.

Cheers,

-Graeme

[stubbex1]

i go to a private cottage right next to sand beach lodge twice a year, end of august, and begining of october. During the summer months i have had excellent success slow rolling spinners through weeds in anywhere from 3ft (yes three feet!!!!) to 12 fow. Face the dock at sand beach then look to your left, there is a little bay with two cottages, troll around that bay early morning till noon, you should pick up a few eye's. There is lots of pike and smallies in there as well. If your not picking up any walleyes, go smaller spinners, and go even slower, just fast enough to spin the blade. Hope this helps!!

[chrispyke]

i go to a private cottage right next to sand beach lodge twice a year, end of august, and begining of october. During the summer months i have had excellent success slow rolling spinners through weeds in anywhere from 3ft (yes three feet!!!!) to 12 fow. Face the dock at sand beach then look to your left, there is a little bay with two cottages, troll around that bay early morning till noon, you should pick up a few eye's. There is lots of pike and smallies in there as well. If your not picking up any walleyes, go smaller spinners, and go even slower, just fast enough to spin the blade. Hope this helps!!

 

Thanks Stubbex, will definately try that being so close to it. Any suggestion for colour or size ?

 

BL

[tedley]

On another note, I know the Woolsley bay section very well and am happy to pm details of spots to those heading to Woolsley Bay. I have map that shows 20+ years of fishing success for that part of the river.

 

 

Heading to Wolseley Bay the first week of August. any advice would be appreciated. eg. boat launching and parking (14 ft. aluminum) camping crown land. Thanks Ted

[Billy Bob]

I have gone to Sand Beach from the mid 80's (about 4 times back then) and again 3 years ago. The accommodation are first class as well as the meals. But I did like the way the old owners did things a little bit better back in the 80's. Back then you had Breakfast hours from 7-9am and dinner hours 5-7pm. All you had to do was get in there by those hours and they would feed you. Now the meal hours are set and they are really not very friendly for fishermen especially for dinner. I believe dinner was 6pm and it was a four course meal that took at least 2 hours. By the time we got done eating dinner (last week of May) there wasn't enough daylight to fish anywhere except near camp. With that being said the meals are to die for. Also their $30 per DAY to dock my boat was out of line and the last time I negotiated it down to $10 per day before I booked them.

 

But anyways, there are two close areas that we have caught walleyes. The first would be just leave the dock and hang a hard left. Go about 500 yards and fish the weed line. And my favorite spot is Deer Bay which is only about a 5-10 minute boat ride. Also fish the weed line. We mostly use 1/8oz all black bucktail jigs. Sometimes tipping them with only 1" of worm.

 

When we were there 3 years ago there was only one other party there. I was wondering if they can stay in business that way. They're pricey but everything is first class but if they want to remain a fishing camp they need to tweak things. However, I was getting the impression they want to be a family get away resort with fishing available if requested. The old owners had a better handle on fishermen needs IMHO.

 

Bob

[NAW]

i go to a private cottage right next to sand beach lodge twice a year, end of august, and begining of october. During the summer months i have had excellent success slow rolling spinners through weeds in anywhere from 3ft (yes three feet!!!!) to 12 fow. Face the dock at sand beach then look to your left, there is a little bay with two cottages, troll around that bay early morning till noon, you should pick up a few eye's. There is lots of pike and smallies in there as well. If your not picking up any walleyes, go smaller spinners, and go even slower, just fast enough to spin the blade. Hope this helps!!

 

I'm good friends with the son of the owners back in the 80's. We stopped in there at the start of the season, and he met the new owner. Talking to the new owner, I guess he really wants to make the lodge more fishing oriented, as it was in the past. The few owners who had the lodge after the Oberholtzer's really didn't care much for fishing, and it kind of slid downhill..

 

It sure does look like a nice place to stay though. Great area, lots of water.

[chrispyke]

I have gone to Sand Beach from the mid 80's (about 4 times back then) and again 3 years ago. The accommodation are first class as well as the meals. But I did like the way the old owners did things a little bit better back in the 80's. Back then you had Breakfast hours from 7-9am and dinner hours 5-7pm. All you had to do was get in there by those hours and they would feed you. Now the meal hours are set and they are really not very friendly for fishermen especially for dinner. I believe dinner was 6pm and it was a four course meal that took at least 2 hours. By the time we got done eating dinner (last week of May) there wasn't enough daylight to fish anywhere except near camp. With that being said the meals are to die for. Also their $30 per DAY to dock my boat was out of line and the last time I negotiated it down to $10 per day before I booked them.

 

But anyways, there are two close areas that we have caught walleyes. The first would be just leave the dock and hang a hard left. Go about 500 yards and fish the weed line. And my favorite spot is Deer Bay which is only about a 5-10 minute boat ride. Also fish the weed line. We mostly use 1/8oz all black bucktail jigs. Sometimes tipping them with only 1" of worm.

 

When we were there 3 years ago there was only one other party there. I was wondering if they can stay in business that way. They're pricey but everything is first class but if they want to remain a fishing camp they need to tweak things. However, I was getting the impression they want to be a family get away resort with fishing available if requested. The old owners had a better handle on fishermen needs IMHO.

 

Bob

 

 

Hey Thanks Bob !! Really appreciate the info.

 

I agree about SBL, I stayed for a couple of days a few years ago with the previous owners and I beleive it is still the same, a set time for dinner and breakfast. How are you supposed to schedule eating around the best fishing times !!

 

I do appreciate the reply and helpful tips !

 

Anyoune else ??

 

BL