Frenchman Lake

[paulgib96]

Hello all! Anyone fish Frenchman Lake near Glendon? How is the access to the lake? Regs info would be appreciated. Thanks!

[kreator]

Winter killed many, many years ago. Might be 10 feet now, maximum. Concrete pads at 'boat launch' are 100 yards from lake.

[Levy]

I have been watching the water levels at that lake for about five years now. Even at the old high water mark i don't think that lake was much deeper than 15 feet. No matter how much or how little rain and snow we get the water levels don't change that much. Beautiful lake, and scenery though. A lot of reeds and rocky shores on the South side, big island, and nice boreal forest with no development. If water levels went back up that would be a gem of a spot to fish.

[paulgib96]

Thank you all. Some bonehead told me that this lake was 1 of Alberta's best trout lakes.

[BIG AL]

Are there any fish left in Frenchman or is totally dead? Used to go up there as a kid. Was a fantastic lake. Couldn't keep the pike off. Sad.

[Levy]

stickelbacks are the only fish that have been produced from netting and minnow traps in recent years. Not even fat head chubs which i use as a sign that a lake could possibly sustain perch. I drilled a few holes in the winter to look for shrimp and the water was brown, and i didn't even find shrimp.

[30lbpike]

Thank you all. Some bonehead told me that this lake was 1 of Alberta's best trout lakes.

It is even funnier that you believed him and then decided to post about it on a forum!!! Good thing he didn't trust you to keep a secret hahaha

[paulgib96]

Who said I believed him? It's boneheads like you that should not be allowed to procreate! Why do you think I posted the question---that's what this forum is for! Oh, and by the way, the person who told me about Frenchman Lake was posting on this forum. Stupidity needs company eh!

[BIG AL]

Thanks for the info Levy. Is the water level drastically lower in other lakes in that area as well? Haven't been up that way in years but at one time we used to hit most of the lakes in the area. Great fishing back then but I suppose that, for the most part, has changed too.

[Okotokian]

it is even funnier that you believed him and then decided to post about it on a forum!!! Good thing he didn't trust you to keep a secret hahaha

:1041:

[Levy]

Thanks for the info Levy. Is the water level drastically lower in other lakes in that area as well? Haven't been up that way in years but at one time we used to hit most of the lakes in the area. Great fishing back then but I suppose that, for the most part, has changed too.

Water levels in the area are down several feet in many lakes (around five feet). Frenchman, Ironwood, Honey, and Fork are all way down. I never go to beaver lake but from what i heard it was down and looks like a parking lot some days in the winter. I haven't been to Ironwood this year but the lakes that feed the north creek in Ironwood are all up pretty high but i never see the creek flowing into Ironwood for much longer than early spring (Brown, Helena, and Horne).

Elinor's water levels don't look as bad as other lakes, but this winter i went into a small lake that Elinor is supposed to feed from a small stretch of creek on the north side of the lake. If the maps are right the creek flows from Elinor to the unnamed lake then into beaver lake but I could have swore it was flowing the opposite direction so the beavers must have the little lake dammed off and its keeping Elinors water levels up rather than Beaver lakes.

The quality of fishing has noticeably declined in many of the lakes in the area. There is still some decent pike fishing in the area, but there aren't many big perch around.

[Daceminnow]

Are there any fish left in Frenchman or is totally dead? Used to go up there as a kid. Was a fantastic lake. Couldn't keep the pike off. Sad.

as did i. used to chase a different species of fish though. sad. had a lot of good days on the ice up there.

Dace