Chatauqua Musky Opener

[THE TRADESMEN]

Hey Guys we are going to be at Chatauqua for the whloe 1st week 6/21-6/28.

So far I have been skunked at Chatauqua .

Eveytime I go its some kind of front combined with 3ft rollers.

I am hoping with a whloe week to work with I might have better luck with the weather.(and the fish)

Any advice you guys have would be greatly appreaciated.

I will be casting most of the time as trolling costs 2 much in my boat. Wendy and I will be camping at Chatuqua Heights, if anyone is going to be there we would love sharing info over the week.

Wendy hooked this 17lb-er at Waneta on a bass rig, I fought it and we landed it on 10lb Stren no leader.

We have been chasing every sence.

Thanks in advance for your help in the Hunt for big fish.

[Pizzaboy]

Gustofson, by no means am I a pro with the muskie fishing, but would be glad to share what I can as far as Chautauqua goes. Lower Dewittville Bay, picked up 4 casting red and white daredevils 10 - 15 fow. My 14 yr. old son caught a huge Gar that same trip in that same area. Upper Dewittville Bay, had 2 follows casting spinners just to the left of where the creek enters the lake, casting close to the markers. I know you said you would be mostly casting, but I caught one trolling the southern basin around the deep hole off salt pt. and caught my PB 44" trolling just outside the weeds at the Mayville flats. Both came off a rapala mag. I have only fished that lake 6 or 7 times, so I am still trying to learn more of the lake. I would love to be there for the opener, but I'm heading up to the French river that week to explore some different waters! Hope that helps some, and let me know how you make out!

[solgrande]

Hey tough guy...don`t be sad. i could tell ya but it`ll cost ya!!!!rollers are fuuunnnnnn.cya

[THE TRADESMEN]

Thanks for the info Pizzaboy. Do u rember the water temps or time of year when u were seeing them shallow?

Does anybody know where to buy fire wood in Dewittville?

Nice suit Solgrande r u going to be santa this year?

[ericmic1]

I haven't targeted muskies as I do not have the gear for the trophies ones (yet)....but...

I havent been there in June but what I can tell you from my mid-May report is they are everywhere. We couldnt avoid them chasing. L

ast august I spent 2 weeks on the lake and every morning until about 11:30 they would chase. Caught 1 that hit the rockbass I had just hooked into with a harness...was hilarious!

Dewittville Bay, Prendergast, Mayville flats and the bay between Bemus and Long point are the normal spots for musky.

Not a ton of info but I hope it helps.

Good Luck

[THE TRADESMEN]

Thats a great storie Eric, I saw an episode of Hank Parker where a musky grabbed his bass and would not let go. They are one tough fish. I sure hope to find the kind of action you have described. Thanks for the post and as always Good Luck.

[solgrande]

I`m impaitiently awaiting the weekend,let me @`em.Been sorting boxes(again & again etc.etc.etc),making leaders and packing for chautauqua all week.Taking my buddy pete out for hopefully his first skee.Got high expectations for this weekend.Hooking up with gustofson next weekend.Hey gus...happyhooker says he`s got some shiny new legends in!!!! stop on in,you need some more.haha

grande`

[NitroMusky]

G-

check yo inbox...

Hoping I can get out at all now, so make sure to take good pics for me!!!

Heres the deal: heading back in this past sunday the motor started acting up...went out yesterday for a bit...yup, plugs are definitely fouled. great timing-damn you Optimax! of course, West Marine only had 2 in stock today so I got them all out and the toughest pair are now shiny new. Now the cards just have to all fall into place: headin out tomorrow afternoon on a road trip to play 36 hole tourney on thursday. So unless BPS has them for me to pick up along the way, to be put in on Friday, I could be ska-rewed for the opener. maybe its a blessing in disguise that I couldn't do chaut...then I'd be really pissed.

catch a couple 50s for me, guys!

[THE TRADESMEN]

Legends are over rated and over priced. LOL

We'll give'em all we got Nitro u can bet ur bottom dollar on that. Sorry to hear of ur boat problems I know the feeling all to well. Good Luck and I'll give a report on our return however dismal it may be.

[NitroMusky]

haha! overpriced at 50 bones, yes those plows are...but yet I think I still want one.

BPS doesn't have the plugs but good news...just off the phone with carquest and they will have my plugs in tomorrow. i'll run over there friday and have them in the boat in less time than it takes me to make the drive...WooHoo!

I will be on the water by 5 (before the bass tourney guys start showing up for reg...

still want ya to catch a Chaut-skee for me though...

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[solgrande]

Well we managed a 34" on saturday and a nice 40+followed me to the boat just before that.this was my buddys 1st ,mission accomplished!got him a skee.We fished all day in that downpour on sat.Broke @ 1230 to dry cloths and went back out.My fishfinder **** the bed when it filled with water,i`m still trying to dry it out.gustofson is out there now and sent me a pic of a 36 incher they boated this morning....way to start out the week gussy!!!! I`m heading back there thursday after work.

Bob

[NitroMusky]

sounds like a successful opening weekend! how about the play by play of the week, Lee? throw in a couple pics for good measure too...

Bob how was the bite this weekend?

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[THE TRADESMEN]

Well guys the trip was great. Nice to have the week off and finally be camping again after another long winter. The stay at Chatauqua Heights was nice too. Very clean and quite during the week.

Fisrt thing monday morning we headed for Mayville and I just had a good feeling about it. The storms had just passed and there was good cloud cover.

I put on a xxl black safety pin spinner and we headed out to the deep edge of the weed line. Within the first hr I hooked this 36in 15lber.

I had 3 more follows on that bait but never got to do a figure 8 on em because they ran as soon as they saw the boat. It was action though and I thought this is going to be a great week.

But then tuesday brought blue bird skys and 0 wind. We saw no fish that day so we decided to do some night trolling. But again no luck.

Wednesday ditto.

Thursday brought thunder showers and I thought we would get some more action but the strom came in too fast and we had to get off the water. Everyone at the launch was crying because we all knew it could have been good. I did hook this little guy about 2hrs before the storm on Solgrandes glitter perch stalker.

Finally Friday brought a south wind and some more action.

I hooked this one first thing on the glitter perch.

Then another hit and I could see the fish. Does he have it? Then I saw he had it in his mouth so I reset hard and the line broke. Dam it there he goes with solgrandes favorite lure. The last fish rolled on the line and in all the excitment I did not check for frays. What will I tell Solley?

It was a mid 50" 45lb monster........... Thats my story and Im sticking to it.

Thanks for all the advice guys. All three fish caught casting the Mayville Flats.

Kinda bummed with the size but at least the lake did not skunk me this time.

[BlueEye]

Great report Lee! I am heading up there is coming weekend to try my luck. Will post how we do.

Chad

[NitroMusky]

great job Lee! you gt the skunk off and then some! bet you'll never forget to check the leader/line again, huh?

waneta a few more weeks for me than its off to chaut at the end of July for the happy hooker seminar and tourney (might need a partner if anyones interested) and the whole following 1st week of aug around the full moon. rented a house on the lake, so the boat will be in the water ready for all the prime times action. can't wait! hope my luck is as good as yours...

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[solgrande]

WHERE`S MY LURE!!!!! was working sooo good he probably made up story and is hiding it!).Well i made it back there for friday to hook up with gus and picked up 2...both trolling.1 `tween belltower and irwins out in 25fow 25`back on a redhorse biggame lure(615am),he was 30-32".The other came on end of the day trolling run in front of we-wan-chu just off the edge.He was better @ 39" on a 6"it`s a dick jntd lure in blk perch(6pm ish)30`back-had my small net with me.Both were down rods.was thinking `bout seminar.when was it?

[NitroMusky]

sweet Bob! between you and Lee there looks to be a good class of future bigguns in there... seminar is the eve of Friday the 24th with Bortz and Red/Charlie, tourneys the next AM run by Capt Larry. check him out for details.

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[solgrande]

talked to lee and it looks as though we`ll be going back out to chautauqua for the seminar/tourney.Sounds like a good time.Gonna see if i can drum up some more people.Gotta place a tackle order!