Early Season Muskies Of The Upper French River
Musky Hunter|June/July 2020
The French River is a large watershed over 110 kilometers long with a 19,100-kilometer basin that flows from Lake Nipissing west to Georgian Bay in central Ontario.
Matt O’Brien
Early Season Muskies Of The Upper French River

The author with a 53-inch French River monster.

The river is generally broken down into three main sections, the Upper, Middle and Lower French. I have fished from one end to the other and eventually settled on the Upper French as my main focus.

Lake Nipissing, the third largest lake within Ontario, takes a long time to warm up which creates a unique circumstance for early season fishing. Daily, weekly, monthly and yearly weather trends present an intricate puzzle.

Opening Day is the third Saturday in June on the Upper French, and water temperatures can range from the mid 50s in the main basins to the low 70s in the back bays. Therefore, muskies may still be spawning in colder sections of the river and completely finished in other areas. Spring weather dictates fish location. The biggest factor is when the ice comes off. If it melts early, weeds begin to grow, but it’s vice versa if the ice melts late. The Upper French River has many bays and inlets between the lake and first set of dams.

Bays outside the main current warm up much faster as they don’t receive constant flow. Muskies can be found anywhere on the river but I focus my time on this warm backwater in early season. Some bays are very large and need to be broken down as if they are individual lakes, while others are small and can be fished quickly.

Location

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der June/July 2020-Ausgabe von Musky Hunter.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der June/July 2020-Ausgabe von Musky Hunter.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS MUSKY HUNTERAlle anzeigen
What can Current Do For You?
Musky Hunter

What can Current Do For You?

WATER FLOW IN LAKES IS SUBTLE AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED. BUT MUSKIES USE IT, SO WHY SHOULDN’T YOU?

time-read
3 Minuten  |
February/March 2021
Mountain State Muskies In Spring
Musky Hunter

Mountain State Muskies In Spring

CATCH MUSKIES DURING TIMES WHEN NOTHING IS PREDICTABLE

time-read
4 Minuten  |
February/March 2021
Winter Presentations For Southern Rivers
Musky Hunter

Winter Presentations For Southern Rivers

Winter has arrived, yet in the South it’s still mild enough to keep fishing with the exception of maybe a week or two of an Arctic front.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
February/March 2021
Tune Up For The Season Ahead
Musky Hunter

Tune Up For The Season Ahead

Have you started making your plans for the upcoming fishing year?

time-read
3 Minuten  |
February/March 2021
Rob Manthei
Musky Hunter

Rob Manthei

Guide Rob Manthei’s love for the Vilas/Oneida County region of northern Wisconsin is deeply rooted. His father and grandfather started taking him there on fishing trips when he was just two years old, and he began guiding full-time at the age of 25.

time-read
6 Minuten  |
February/March 2021
Find The Right Structure In Deep, Clear Water
Musky Hunter

Find The Right Structure In Deep, Clear Water

With breathtaking scenery, vast amounts of water, and complex and diverse structure, clear water Canadian Shield lakes offer some of the most sought-after musky fishing in the world. A bucket-list destination for the passionate and determined angler, there’s something truly special about being in the sanctuary of the great Canadian Shield lakes.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
February/March 2021
Multi-Species Or Bay Boat ... You Make The Choice
Musky Hunter

Multi-Species Or Bay Boat ... You Make The Choice

Is there really such a thing as a perfect musky boat? There are so many variables to choose from in the market today. Do I want a casting or trolling boat? Aluminum or fiberglass? Welded or riveted? Do I want a tiller, side console, dual console, or full windshield?

time-read
4 Minuten  |
February/March 2021
Region To Region
Musky Hunter

Region To Region

Region To Region

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
February/March 2021
Genetic Study Yields Answers
Musky Hunter

Genetic Study Yields Answers

STUDY SUGGESTS LEECH STRAIN IS NOT THE ‘SILVER BULLET’ FOR WISCONSIN MUSKY WATERS

time-read
6 Minuten  |
February/March 2021
Crawling Crankbaits To Catch Cold Water Muskies
Musky Hunter

Crawling Crankbaits To Catch Cold Water Muskies

Crankbaits catch plenty of muskies during spring, summer and fall, but the key to catching ’skies in the very early cold water season on these lures involves some special tricks.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
February/March 2021