frenchman's bay

[Cloudy15]

Hey,

Does anyone think fishing the channel leading out to the lake is worth while this time of year(small mouth)?And, am I crazy for thinking that it will hold walleye especially late oct early nov?

[John Bacon]

Walleye would be a long shot. There are very few of them anywhere around there. I am sure that there are few walleye in there from time to time; but I would bother targeting them? I think that you would have a much better chance at a small mouth or even a trout.

 

Will you be fishing from shore or a boat? I used to see people fishing the rock piles around the two outer channel markers from boats. That area is accessible from shore now.

 

Do you fish the bay very often? That is usually where I launch my boat.

[Cloudy15]

Walleye would be a long shot. There are very few of them anywhere around there. I am sure that there are few walleye in there from time to time; but I would bother targeting them? I think that you would have a much better chance at a small mouth or even a trout.

 

Will you be fishing from shore or a boat? I used to see people fishing the rock piles around the two outer channel markers from boats. That area is accessible from shore now.

 

Do you fish the bay very often? That is usually where I launch my boat.

Fishing from shore,I just moved within walking distance of the bay. I found a few decent spots to catch large mouth and pike from shore. I've tried drop shotting the channel a few times at night with no luck. Not sure how deep the channel is, but it just seems like such a fishy spot to me. I feel like it should hold a little bit of everything depending on the time of year.

[Dave Bailey]

I'm just up the road, often thought of giving it a go. I'm guessing the rocks should hold smallmouth, it's typical habitat. Might want to try casting a drop-shot along them.

[Cloudy15]

I'm just up the road, often thought of giving it a go. I'm guessing the rocks should hold smallmouth, it's typical habitat. Might want to try casting a drop-shot along them.

I have tired drop shotting it a few times at night, no luck of course. It does seem like good structure, maybe fall is the time ?

[Dave Bailey]

I have tired drop shotting it a few times at night, no luck of course. It does seem like good structure, maybe fall is the time ?

 

Not sure. The piers only opened to the public a few months ago, so there may be little or no experience among local anglers. I've taken walks down there and along the piers a few times, never seen anyone fishing.

[Cloudy15]

 

Not sure. The piers only opened to the public a few months ago, so there may be little or no experience among local anglers. I've taken walks down there and along the piers a few times, never seen anyone fishing.

I might have the most experience, I fished it a lot last year while it was under construction. Wasted a lot of time lol, I 've never caught a fish in the channel, some good nights in the bay section though.

[John Bacon]

Not sure how deep the channel is, but it just seems like such a fishy spot to me.

 

About six feet on the east side on the bay end of the channel. It is shallower on the west side; that is why the channel markers on the east side of the channel. It drops to about twelve feet as you move closer to the lake.

 

This is all new habitat. The piers were built in the last couple of years and the channel was dredged.

[Cloudy15]

 

About six feet on the east side on the bay end of the channel. It is shallower on the west side; that is why the channel markers on the east side of the channel. It drops to about twelve feet as you move closer to the lake.

 

This is all new habitat. The piers were built in the last couple of years and the channel was dredged.

I am going to give it a try right now

Edited September 11, 2015 by Cloudy15

[Cloudy15]

So I went to the bay last night and hit the channel, and beat my PB small mouth three times!!! Well, that's what happened in my head before I left. I had one tiny nibble drop shootting, I think. There were a lot of fish jumping in the middle of the channel, most were really small, but a few seemed to be 2 pounds plus. Any ideas what they would of been?

[hunteronwheels]

i fish the bay alot like 4 times a week

you may have met me lol

i ride a bright green mobility scooter and recently use my kayak down there

i have fished the channel quite a few times but no bites i have better luck in the north end

[Cloudy15]

i fish the bay alot like 4 times a week

you may have met me lol

i ride a bright green mobility scooter and recently use my kayak down there

i have fished the channel quite a few times but no bites i have better luck in the north end

Hmm, don't think I have meet you. However, I think i may of seen you paddle by me once when I was fishing a lillypad patch from shore. I would bring my canoe up if I had somewhere to store it.

[hunteronwheels]

were you fishing by the white chair

[Cloudy15]

were you fishing by the white chair

ya, i think there was a white plastic chair. I was at the point of a mini bay, east side of the bay

[Locnar]

I tried fishing the channel a couple months ago, didn't catch a lot... brother caught a 1.5lb largie. Other than that some rock bass and perch. I'm sure there's some nice fish lurking around there though

[fishermccann]

My B. in L. lives right on the west side of the bay and I live 200 yards from the east side. I only fish it in winter, on the ice ( trout, pike, panfish) ,when I don't have the time to get to Simcoe, and the early spring from shore for big pike.

[MJL]

I used to fish Frenchman’s bay a lot when I was a kid. I’ve caught (in no particular order): pike, carp, bass, shad, bullheads, bowfin, crappies, perch, rockbass, chinook salmon, brown trout. When the hatchery was still operating, we would get a good number of rainbow trout in winter & spring. Even seen the odd walleye and lake trout caught late in the season at the gap. It’s been years since I fished it and I’m not sure what the fishing is like now. If you’re local, it’s a no-brainer to give it a shot.

[Cloudy15]

I tried fishing the channel a couple months ago, didn't catch a lot... brother caught a 1.5lb largie. Other than that some rock bass and perch. I'm sure there's some nice fish lurking around there though

i am going to give the channel another try later on tonight.

[Cloudy15]

I used to fish Frenchman’s bay a lot when I was a kid. I’ve caught (in no particular order): pike, carp, bass, shad, bullheads, bowfin, crappies, perch, rockbass, chinook salmon, brown trout. When the hatchery was still operating, we would get a good number of rainbow trout in winter & spring. Even seen the odd walleye and lake trout caught late in the season at the gap. It’s been years since I fished it and I’m not sure what the fishing is like now. If you’re local, it’s a no-brainer to give it a shot.

I have fished the bay from shore a fair bit this summer, caught a dozen or so decent fish. I am hoping to catch a big fat small mouth in the channel heading out to the lake this fall.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Cloudy15

[Cloudy15]

My B. in L. lives right on the west side of the bay and I live 200 yards from the east side. I only fish it in winter, on the ice ( trout, pike, panfish) ,when I don't have the time to get to Simcoe, and the early spring from shore for big pike.

How big do the pike get in the bay? And can you catch them from shore in the fall? I caught few form shore this summer in the 5-7lb range.

[Locnar]

Any luck fishing the channel? You caught pike from shore in the summer? I've tried a few times, but didn't catch diddly squat.

[fishindevil]

Don't give up keep fishing the channel gap way into the fall and when the baitfish come in at night time toss a floating crank or jerkbait !!! Anything can & will happen at that time !!! Big pike a big bow a brown ect. Big fish will not be far behind .... Fish it right into early November you will see the bait at night ......

[Cloudy15]

Don't give up keep fishing the channel gap way into the fall and when the baitfish come in at night time toss a floating crank or jerkbait !!! Anything can & will happen at that time !!! Big pike a big bow a brown ect. Big fish will not be far behind .... Fish it right into early November you will see the bait at night ......

Thanks!, very motivating. I do plain on fishing it deep into the fall. I went last night and got notta, but I will keep at it. Big water equals big fish and that's what really gets me excited about it.

[Cloudy15]

Any luck fishing the channel? You caught pike from shore in the summer? I've tried a few times, but didn't catch diddly squat.

I haven't caught anything in the channel yet, well over 20 hours now. I did fairly well from shore up until, the first week or two of august. I really only went near dusk when I had finished work early. And, by fairly well I mean averaging one(bass or Pike) decent fish per outing. I need to find somewhere or someone that will let me store a canoe or use one. Or maybe by one of those floating tube things.

[Headhunter]

Get yourself a couple of glow in the dark Little Cleo's, a good strong flashlight and hit the channel. Hit the Cleo with the flashlight for ten seconds and cast and retrieve. Husky Jerk or even a Flatfish should entice a bite.

All that said, be sure that your equipment is in top shape, cause after all that time fishin and limited catchin, I'd sure hate to see you get spooled when a spotted carp grabs that Cleo. Definitely a learning experience the first time that happens! LOL

HH