6 miles northwest of Faribault
Rice County, Minnesota · 44.3391° N, 93.3918° W
Directions to French Lake Public Water Access SiteApple Maps
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Updated 15 Oct 2026, 5:25 pm EDT.
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Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
1 public access site on French Lake.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 18 stockings of French Lake in 10 of the years 2016 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 41 muskellunge yearlings. Species stocked: muskellunge, walleye.
Latest: 2025: 169 muskellunge fingerlings.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries (LakeFinder stocking reports), fetched 15 Oct 2026. How we measure
Measured from Minnesota DNR contours. How we measure
Minnesota DNR’s latest standard fish survey of French Lake was in August 2023: 8 gill nets and 12 trap nets caught 14 species. The DNR also ran a targeted survey in April 2024; this section uses the latest standard survey.
Walleye per gill net, standard surveys: 1998 2.4 · 2007 4.9 · 2012 3.2 · 2017 1.9 · 2023 0.6
Bluegill per trap net, standard surveys: 1998 38 · 2007 45 · 2012 31 · 2017 22 · 2023 17
Walleye: 5 measured, 13 to 23 in, half 22 in or longer; average 3.4 lb, above normal (normal 1.2–2.7 lb).
Northern pike: 10 measured, 9 to 36 in, half 29 in or longer; average 5.6 lb, above normal (normal 2–3.5 lb).
Muskellunge: 6 measured, 35 to 41 in, half 39 in or longer; average 14 lb, above normal (normal 1.5–7 lb).
Largemouth bass: 13 measured, 5 to 16 in, half 13 in or longer; average 1.1 lb, above normal (normal 0.2–0.9 lb).
Black crappie: 171 measured, 4 to 13 in, half 5 in or longer; average 0.12 lb, normal (normal 0.1–0.3 lb).
Also caught: common carp, freshwater drum, golden shiner, hybrid sunfish, yellow bullhead.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 7 Aug 2023, via LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Normal range: DNR’s range for lakes of the same class (43 classes, grouped by water chemistry and shape). Each line has its own scale. How we measure
Measured water clarity averages about 2 ft: the Secchi depth across 4 readings, 2007–2023.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
French Lake is 56 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 876 acres.
Yes. 1 public access site is listed: French Lake Public Water Access Site.
Yes. Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 18 stockings of it in 10 of the years 2016 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 41 muskellunge yearlings.
Minnesota DNR’s August 2023 standard survey caught 14 species, most often bluegill, black crappie, yellow perch and northern pike.
About 74% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.