French Lake is a lake in Minnesota, near Rice County.
French Lake near 44.3391, -93.3919 is a lake in Rice County, Minnesota. French Lake covers about 876 acres, reaches a recorded 50 feet and holds about 14,244 acre-feet.
French Lake is small enough to check weeds, wood, rock and the first deep drop without spending the whole day moving around.
Fish reported from French Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin, common carp, emerald shiner, freshwater drum, golden shiner, green sunfish, johnny darter, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, spottail shiner, walleye, white bass, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, and yellow perch.
For bass at French Lake, fish weeds, wood and shade with a spinnerbait, jig or Texas-rigged worm for largemouth.
For panfish at French Lake, use a small jig or minnow beside brush for crappie, and fish a worm, cricket or tiny jig near weeds for bluegill, pumpkinseed, and green sunfish, and keep a small jig, minnow or worm close to bottom for yellow perch.
For roaming fish at French Lake, jig a minnow or troll a crankbait along points and deeper edges for walleye, and follow shad with a spoon, jig or small crankbait for white bass.
For large predators at French Lake, throw a bucktail, jerkbait or large rubber lure along points and weed edges for muskellunge, and cast a spoon, spinnerbait or swimbait beside weeds for northern pike.
For bottom fishing at French Lake, fish a worm or small piece of cut bait in quiet water for bullheads, and use corn or dough bait on a simple bottom rig for carp.
Other choices at French Lake include these plans: bounce a jig, worm or crayfish bait along firm bottom for freshwater drum, and work a tough soft plastic or cut bait near weeds and wood for bowfin.
Spring at French Lake is a good time to check warm coves and incoming water, and summer is a good time to fish shade, weeds and the first drop into deeper water. Fall at French Lake can bring fish back to windy points and banks, while winter calls for smaller baits fished slowly.
On a first trip to French Lake, check one quiet cove, one rocky or firm point and the nearby deep water with a moving lure, then use a jig or worm where you find fish.
A medium spinning rod covers smaller lures at French Lake, while a heavier rod and stronger leader are better for pike or muskellunge.
At French Lake, pick one cove and the closest point or drop into deep water, then fish that small area well before making a long move.
Not every trip. A better place at French Lake is where a point, drop-off or group of baitfish gives the fish a reason to stop.
At French Lake, it shows that a lot of the water sits away from the bank and around the old channel or deep end.
Explore nearby waters, including local Featured destinations. Check each page for access and fishing restrictions.
Distances are straight-line estimates between mapped water locations.