bigcreekdad Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Just returned from 4 days on the French, staying at Lochaven Lodge. First bad sign.....water levels as high as I have ever seen...I'd say a good 5-6 feet above normal for this time of year. Second .....water temps when I arrived....52 degrees.....a good 10 degrees below what I normally experience this early in the season. My first day, fishing my usual ways and spots, produced one lonely 15" smallmouth. Day 2 , I switched tactics......1) fishing fast water with heavy weights and live bait, 2) focusing on areas I knew from experience had weeds almost too thick to fish by mid summer. THe Fast water produced bass, walleye, and pike......largest 18", 23", and 31", respectively. Not a ton of fish, but I was satisfied. While searching normally heavy weedy areas, i was successful in only about 1 in 5 spots, but productive areas usually produced more than one hit. All fish caught in these areas were pike, with the exception of one smallmouth. Largest pike was 35.5". All, and I mean all, fish caught casting the ( historically) weedy areas were caught on a silver rattle trap type lipless crankbait, that had a only one treble, and a small spinner instead of the tail treble. I did try other lures, but this one was the only one that worked. I was going to pick of a few more, but can't seem to find one like it on line. I see none with the spinner. I don't know whether it's a Rattle Trap brand or Cotton Cordell. Anyone help me zone in on what I'm looking for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skdds Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Thanks for this post, I am thinking about heading up to the French in about two weeks..not sure where to go..if the upper french will be a better bet than the lower at this time of year..water temps may be higher in a few weeks and (i guess?) fish may be more active. Most of the posts I read about the French tend to be hit and miss. How have your other trips there been? Did you work any worm harnesses this time out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildeye rainbow Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Thanks for the report. I usually fish the Dry Pine Bay area around the 2nd week in July and do ok on crawler harnesses - I only have spotty success with lures like rapalas, Williams, etc. I'll be heading to Pt. Loring area for the annual spring weekend next weekend - hopefully the fish will be biting. We fish back lakes with canoes. WR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adempsey Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 I think the lure might be a Rat-L-Trap Spin Trap. I've only seen those online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishindevil Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 They are easy to make !!! Just take the back hook off like they did in the above pic and put on a split ring and a small swivel and a willow leaf blade !! We have done this with ice fishing lures many times !!!! The bass guys were using them about 10yrs ago on simcoe last time I seem them .... What's old is new again ....cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Clemens Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 BCD - I saw a pic posted on Wolseley Lodge's Facebook page and could not believe how high the water was there. I've never seen it that high, but I'm never there this early in the season. Looking forward to my trip up north here in a couple weeks. How are the black flies ... have they done their thing and left yet ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigcreekdad Posted May 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Black flies were there, but not as bad as I've experienced. Never even thought about breaking out the headnet. Never tried the crawler harness, as I just couldn't locate any weed growth......very high water and late spring has weed growth way behind. Fishlogic....That's It!! Thanks. Rich....good idea....if I can't find any that is what I will do. My other trips ( I've fished this area of the FRench 2-3 times a year over last 8-9 years) I wouldn't call hit or miss. This was likely the toughest, and I had to rethink how I fished. I've had fair, good, and great trips.....never really poor if I think about it. I fish a lot for musky, and, thus, don't have large number trips ( hell....some trips I'm lucky to see a musky), but even when musky fishing, I break up the time bass fishing, which is always good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 I'm still getting eaten alive out on the Severn, my guess is that they haven't even started that far north yet, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aplumma Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 I had one of the rattle traps that had a tail spin and the line passed thru the body of the lure and tied directly to the treble hook. I wish I could find them again they were killer and the lure would slide up the line and keep the fish from throwing the hook. Art Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davey buoy Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 (edited) Looks like a cotton Cordell super spot with the rear treble removed. Edited May 31, 2013 by davey buoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skdds Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Black flies were there, but not as bad as I've experienced. Never even thought about breaking out the headnet. Never tried the crawler harness, as I just couldn't locate any weed growth......very high water and late spring has weed growth way behind. Fishlogic....That's It!! Thanks. Rich....good idea....if I can't find any that is what I will do. My other trips ( I've fished this area of the FRench 2-3 times a year over last 8-9 years) I wouldn't call hit or miss. This was likely the toughest, and I had to rethink how I fished. I've had fair, good, and great trips.....never really poor if I think about it. I fish a lot for musky, and, thus, don't have large number trips ( hell....some trips I'm lucky to see a musky), but even when musky fishing, I break up the time bass fishing, which is always good. For a first trip in the spring would you recommend the upper french or lower french river? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigcreekdad Posted June 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 SKDDS.....I've fished both areas, and both have produced. The advantage in the Spring to the upper French (above the Chaudiere dams) is that water levels don't fluctuate as much as they are controlled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skdds Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 I assume that water levels that are more consistent are more predictable then..also less likely to loose a prop. Any choice lodges and guides? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenboater Posted June 3, 2013 Report Share Posted June 3, 2013 (edited) Never been on the Upper but I heard it's just as bad on props. Think I saw a map somewhere and it looked damn ugly re:rocks. Hope I'm wrong Edited June 3, 2013 by woodenboater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigcreekdad Posted June 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2013 There is a god topo map of the upper. Most rocks/shoals are marked (although very high water might hide them). I've fished the upper and lower French for close to 20 years and have only lost one prop.....and that was because i completely misjudged where a shoal was. I found it going 25 mph, which reduced my prop to donut size. Common sense will likely keep you out of trouble (i.e. give wide berth to points, etc). As for upper lodges, I've heard good things about both Lunge Lodge and Chaudiere. For the lower, I fish out of Lochaven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skdds Posted June 3, 2013 Report Share Posted June 3, 2013 (edited) I'll check out those lodges. Thanks-skdds Edited June 3, 2013 by skdds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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