Chautauqua - Oct 17/18

[BlueEye]

Joe and I made it up there this weekend to try our luck and found a much, much different lake than the one we last fished a couple months ago! The surface temp in the north end of the lake (Mayville) was a constant 53 degrees and the temp around long point to Tom's point was 51 degrees. Didn't find any bait, temp breaks or consistent marks anywhere on the north end trolling. I hit all holes and points and couldn't get a rod to fire. Finally found some bait around Long Point and Tom's point. Fished that hard and only heard of two fish taken from there from all the other trollers we talked to this weekend. Nothing from the north end. Trolling was definitely not the answer.

We fished a half day on Saturday and half day Sunday morning. Our Sunday morning trip started off with us catching an 18 foot boat occupied by a grandfather and his grandson. They were stranded out in the middle of the lake after their boat broke down. Both of them exhausted from trying to paddle in. We ended up giving them a tow back in on the stipulation that the grandson promised to go out and try again with his grandfather after he got the boat fixed They both happily agreed.

After talking with a good friend (Capt. Mike Sperry of Chautauqua Reel Outdoors), he mentioned that the fish were all tight to the weed beds and shallow. He did good numbers of them casting. Chalk this one up as a learning experience for us. We did mark a whole lot of walleyes though and had walleye fisherman all around Long Point both days.

Hopefully I will have another chance to make it down there sometime later this year. I know a bunch of LOU guys are thinking of heading down around Halloween so maybe then I will give it another shot.

Despite our limited success, we had a great time out there and I couldn't think of anything I would have rather of been doing

[yukiginger]

BlueEye, thanks for the report. My brother and I might head down there on Saturday. Anyone know if there are any tournaments going Saturday or Sunday?

We will try trolling and casting. It's been a couple years since I've made the trip and although I've got a good assortment of musky gear I've never caught one. Let's hope this is the weekend!

MarkG

[mostlymuskies]

The inside turn of Tom's Point usualy holds bait fish & muskies when the water temp is down below 52 degrees.I would try an all black Suick Jerkbait at the drop off edges.If no luck try an all black magnum BullDawg worked deep down the edge.Trolling I would go over the 25 to 26 ft water between Long Point & Tom's Point with Legend Perchbaits in BlackPerch or BrownPerch colors at 4.0 mph,75 ft of line out.Pay close attention to bait fish depth and adjust one crankbait to be at the bait fish depth and one to be about 5 ft above!

Capt. Larry D. Jones

Repeatability Is 90% Of The Hunt!

http://www.mostlymuskies.com

[BlueEye]

Thanks for the tips Larry and glad to see you back on LOU! Hope you are feeling much better. I might be heading up to Chautuaqua again to try some casting with Capt. Mike Sperry. I want to learn a few more things out there and I know Mike has been doing great lately. He did 11 muskies this week and had 12 follows so maybe he will share some of his insights with me on our next trip up there. Could be as soon as tomorrow possibly but we will see.

[yukiginger]

Yes, thanks, Captain Larry, for the advice. I always appreciate the advice you give here and share on your own site as well. It's good to have you back and active, even though you won't be doing the chasin.' Let's see if those of us who've learned from you can get some scores in your stead.

MarkG

[mostlymuskies]

Since I'm stuck at home on the mend,that may take weeks,I might as well try to help when I can.

One other good spot to be casting black Suicks or Vince's Spinner Shop StudDawg's in black skirt with half nickel & brass blades is in the slot in Hatfield Bay to the right side of the Mayville Flats. The deep slot starts at Chautauqua point at 38 ft of water and tapers back into Hatfield Bay at 11 ft.

Was full of bait fish two weeks ago.Also coming from Chautauqua Point troll the edge at 21 ft all the way past the Condo's sloping up to the 14 ft..

Capt. Larry D. Jones

Repeatability Is 90% Of The Hunt!

www.mostlymuskies.com

[old man]

i released this one today at 12:45. i caught it in 10' of water right in front of chataqua marine on a rabid squirrl walleye spinnerbait. i had one other follow earlier in the same spot. bad photo,i need a better camera or a brain. i owe capt. larry for this one. i was gonna go to waneta until i read on larry's site there was a casting bite on. thanks and hope you're well.

[mostlymuskies]

Old man, Congrads on a Nice Muskie catch casting the North Basin of Chautauqua!

Capt. Larry

[NitroMusky]

great job! go get yourself a tiger and you'll have a really nice 'fall triple play'

hope I do as well this weekend as you have been.