French creek smallie float

The wife and I are planning to float French Creek this May for some catch & release smallie fishing. I was wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction as to where we may have the most luck. We're not afraid of skinny water or rapids up to class III. I scouted from Utica to Franklin last fall and it looks decent but I'm betting it's probably better somewhere upstream. We ate lunch at a restaurant called Leonardos when we was in Franklin, that place was great. We went back for supper and it was still great.

kayak99 is your guy for French Creek advice.
 
Utica to Franklin is one of the best fishing streches on that creek. You can also start at Shaws Landing (which is just before Meadville)and float to Franklin. May might be a little bit of a gamble depending on how our Spring melt off and rains go. I would much rather fish it in June....
 
Yep, Leos rest. is awsome!

Thanks guys, it usually takes us over an hour per mile when the fish are biting so a 6 mile trip is ideal for an all dayer. It takes us about 6-7 hours to float from Dotters eddy to Emlenton when we fish there and I think that's just short of 5 mile. From what I seen French Creek has a little more push to it than the Allegheny. We were thinking of trying to float to or from Meadville unless we heard otherwise. Utica to Franklin is fine with me if that's a prime area for big smallies. You don't have to worry about us littering your area, we clean some stuff up while were floating. One kitchen bag of trash adds up over time. Here's a picture of a smallie my wife caught on Topwater out of the Allegheny on one of our floats last year. 

ORIGINAL: Creekman

Thanks guys, it usually takes us over an hour per mile when the fish are biting so a 6 mile trip is ideal for an all dayer. It takes us about 6-7 hours to float from Dotters eddy to Emlenton when we fish there and I think that's just short of 5 mile. From what I seen French Creek has a little more push to it than the Allegheny. We were thinking of trying to float to or from Meadville unless we heard otherwise. Utica to Franklin is fine with me if that's a prime area for big smallies. You don't have to worry about us littering your area, we clean some stuff up while were floating. One kitchen bag of trash adds up over time. Here's a picture of a smallie my wife caught on Topwater out of the Allegheny on one of our floats last year.     .

I have not taken the trip in many many years, but remember if the water is low, the trip from Polly's Dairy west of Franklin to the mouth where it joins the Allegheny can be more of a drag. You may consider taking out there if it is extremely low. 

There is parking near the bend just downstream from Polly's where people park to fish from the bank. It would be possible to get out there.

Thanks ready2fish, sorry I don't get on much these days.

creekman, As said you should check the flows and the weather reports before you actually do the trip.  Sometimes the May flows can be more than you might enjoy, making fishing difficult.  June can be better.  When the level at Utica is near 2 - 2 1/2 feet I have had my best fishing.  Over three feet and the creek is a bit high and fast and it doesn't take much for that creek to rise.

http://newweb.erh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=pbz&gage=utcp1&view=1,1,1,1,1,1

As far as the trip, Cochranton, Carlton or Utica to Franklin can be a great day trip.  Leave as early as possible.  Never caught much in the waters from Pollys to the river but once you hit the confluence of the river you'll do well.  If it's not too late, stop there and wade a bit.

A bit of a heads up.  Its fine to leave a vehicle in Cochranton and Utica as well as in Franklin but other out of the way places might cause you to lose a catalytic converter.  Friend of mine lost one parking at Fishermans Cove last year (I was with him on the river).  That's too bad because the Allegheny from Franklin to Fishermans Cove is an excellent canoe/kayak run with great fishing.

Not sure if you plan on two vehicles or if anyone will be running shuttles out of Franklin this year but if they are, that might be your best way to go.

Don't forget, if you don't have a sticker on your boat you shouldn't use the ramp at Franklin (or the put in at Utica although everyone still does).  If you have no sticker just take out at the park on the east side at Franklin just below the bridge, not the ramp on the west side.

There is another possibility, if you have someone shuttle you, you can head up the creek on the west side, north out of Utica towards the boy scout camp.  Not as far as Carlton but there are a couple of places you can put in along that stretch as long as you don't leave a vehicle and it will take you through some nice muskie water.

You mentioned rapids.  Sorry, no rapids on the creek, only riffles!

Hope that helps.  Good luck and if you have more questions, just ask.

no sticker on boat no problem about 2-3 miles up creek from utica the owl rock with steps put in there get out at twin bridge in sugarcreek or pollys dairy

ORIGINAL: rapala11

kayak, you don't, by chance, have relatives down in youngstown, ohio, do you? 

No, but I have a cousin who's address is Brookfield, I think.  I never send mail to her so I am not certain of the address.

ORIGINAL: toddford

no sticker on boat no problem about 2-3 miles up creek from utica the owl rock with steps put in there get out at twin bridge in sugarcreek or pollys dairy

Owl Rock with the steps is the place I meant, headed towards the scout ranch. Never knew it had a name. Problem with those places would be shuttles as he shouldn't leave a vehicle near Owl Rock and I'm not sure how he'd get there from Sugarcreek or Pollys.  The other problem is that it's quite a walk form the creek to Polly's through the woods or up 322.  Unless he took out by 322 he'd have to leave someone there to watch his boat & gear.

Great hot dogs and ice cream there!


Anyone know if someone will be shuttling out of Franklin this year?

ORIGINAL: acmaul13  3rd-Not to dispute 99 but some of the best fishing I've had in my life(such as it is!! LOL)has been from Pollys to the Allegheny.

Is that a pipe that crosses the creek below Polly's?  I thought it was an old dam bulkhead or something like it.  One has to be careful about going over it at certain times.  Locals sit on the west side watching canoers navigate it.  I guess some people get wet!

The creek does have its spots, its holes and its dead zones. Usually when I go around that bend and through the rocks I am paddling instead of fishing.  Gets better, for me at least, by those plants and nearer to the river. Hope this year is a good one!

The main danger I have run into in certain sections of French Creek are in the outside and inside edges of big S curves, the river accumulates lots of big trees that create dangerous strainers.  I canoed in February one time and it was pretty hairy in some spots.  This was up above Union City dam, though, where the river is small and windy...

oops, double post - wish we could delete these

I have fished French Creek since I was ~12 years old, however I have never floated it. The pulloff on the Franklin side of Polly's is property that has been in my wifes family for many years. We do have a lawyer that has bought in. You guys familiar with know the spot, its within sight of Polly', across 322 against the hillside. I live few miles up the road on 322. If you need a safe place to park let me know.

Steeler Fan, if it were me I'd put in above Utica someplace like that Owl Rock first thing in the morning and go all the way to Franklin.  Depends on your transportation.  I'd be flexible and watch the weather and the chart in my earlier post.  You might be right about two girls.  I remember the incident and the tree but not the number.  If your camp was a mile down from Utica and is over grown (on the west side of the creek) I think it's just above mine a short distance.  My place, going south on French Creek Road, is the cottage just as the pavement returns, creekside.  Big deck overlooking the creek.


treesparrow, if you own property there do you know what crosses under the water just above the bend before the creek hits 322?  Pipeline, dam bulkhead?  Does your land hit the water?


acmaul13, good point.  Some holes remain year to year, some change.  Summertime you can wade 90% of the creek but when the flow is up it can be dangerous.  We don't get much litter up our way though.

there was 2 young teenage girl from townville area that drowned and never should have been on creek the way it was flooded and it wasnt country pendler it was allegheny canoe rental owned by hawkins and it did shut them down from what i understand never discussed  it much with them didnt want to bring up memories and it was a young black kid that drowned behind steel mill didnt know how to swim and pollys dairy isle!really isnt good to get out unless you know creek well twin bridge in sugarcreek isnt bad and easy to find also i believe country pendler still shuttles.i know private places to put in and take out so pm me and maybe we can work something out i am always up for canoeing the creek

99,  I dont know whats in the creek right there. It very well could have to do with the canal. The property used to go down to water line however I never looked into railroad agreement. I have two other properties with former railroad now bike trails on them. Both of those have different agreements. They are kind of a mess!