For over 70 years the French River has enjoyed a well deserved reputation for it’s fishing quality. Ontario’s most sought after game fish are here: walleye (pickerel), musky, northern pike and small and largemouth bass. French River also offers Pan fish such as Crappie, Perch, Sunfish, and Rock Bass. If you prefer the fishing challenge of large Channel Cats, or Whitefish, we have them too.
French River, a Provincial Waterway Park, is best described as a 80 mile long series of island dotted lakes connected by rapids and falls that gently lower the river a total of 60 feet to the Georgian Bay, a part of the Great Lakes. Other than fast moving water, there are fishing areas that include weedy bays, coves, flats, rocky points, and mid-river shoals. A true fisherman’s dream.
Walleye
Known for their flakey, white fillets, walleye are a favorite with French River anglers. They are tough to find during the day, moving deeper in the water. From dusk till dawn they get more active as they feed just off the weed beds. Crank baits and night crawlers will get their attention. Minnows are the bait of choice in the fall.
Musky
The French River, and Woseley Bay in particular, is a productive muskie fishing area. Muskies are notorious for following lures for long distances. Trolling is the trick, between 4 – 8 km/h along the outside edges of the weed beds.
Use big (at least 8″) crank baits. You also need a heavy duty leader tied onto at least 50lb line. Muskies can bite through almost any line. When the fish does hit you must set the hook, because Muskies have a thick bony jaw unlike the soft fleshy jaw of a bass.
Finally, just as important as catching the fish, getting it back into the water quickly is important to the longevity of the species and fishing in general. One of the biggest killers of this type of caught and released sport fish is exposure. Have your needle nose pliers, side cutters, handling gloves and camera ready BEFORE the strike. If it’s a small Muskie, not worthy of a photo, you can simply unhook the fish with your pliers without even taking it out of water.
Northern Pike
The Northern Pike is one of the most popular game fish on the French River. It’s dark body with lighter marking distinguishes it from the somewhat larger Muskie. It hits hard and has to be landed carefully due to the razor sharp teeth.
Bass
The French River has great fishing for both smallmouth and largemouth bass. Plentifull along the shoreline rocks and weedbeds, they will put up a nice fight as you bring them in. Fresh French River bass fillets are another great choice for shore lunch.