Chautauqua Tournament Results

[BlueEye]

Had a great time this past weekend fishing Larry Jones tournament on Chautauqua Lake. You did a great job again Larry with the event and I am already excited for all the donations you have got for next years event!

I had a chance to get out the day before the tournament and fish for a couple hours with the wife. I launched at pendergrast and headed south but stopped at the bridge after noticing huge amounts of algae blooms on the top of the water. Decided, I would turn around there and search for clear water to fish. The steady North-East winds pretty much shut down the west side of the lake for me. I hit all my normal spots and didn’t see a fish (mostly likely cause I couldn’t see two feet into the water with the algae). Kept heading north and finally found some decent looking water on the north east corner of the lake. Started casting there with the wife and had fish immediately. Kate managed to hook herself into a monster (upper 40’s fish) but decided the best course of action at that point in time would be to simply scream instead of actually setting the hook. After an intense 3 second battle……. the fish was gone I raised a couple more good fish in the area and decided that would be our starting spot in the morning for the tournament as it was the only part of the lake I found with clear looking water and the steady north/east winds would be the same the next day so the water shouldn’t change.

Next day, my buddy Mike (Ronix) and his gf Jenelle joined us on the boat for what would ultimately prove to be my best ever day numbers wise musky fishing. We ended up landing 6 muskies and were able to raise several more. Our smallest musky was 37†and our largest 40â€. We actually had 5 muskies that measured exactly 37â€. All the fish came on Jerkbaits worked both fast and slow. The new Lunge Lumber Straight Shooter lures accounted for a couple fish boated as well as a bunch more follows. Needless to say, I was thrilled with that new purchase as those lures just came out earlier this year. Finally an oak based jerkbait so I don’t have to try and waterlog all my cedar based jerkbaits to up the buoyancy of the lure and get them to suspend longer in the strike zone. Sledges also put numerous fish in the boat for us. Natural and bright patterns both caught their share of fish. Couldn’t get any fish trolling or on my usually reliable bucktails – strictly jerkbaits for us. While we weren’t able to get any hooks into the couple upper 40’s or 50†inch fish we had follow to the boat this weekend, I was really happy with how the fishing went and can’t wait to get back there. We finished just out of the money and the winning fish was 45" - only 21 muskies total caught for the entire tournament. The bloom is in the process now of dying off and I would suspect the fall fishing to really start to pick up there with each passing week going forward. Can’t wait to get back down there!

Katie liked this last rainbow picture the night before the tournament and wanted me to post it.... enjoy

Cheers,

Chad

[Ronix 51]

had a blast on saturday, thanks again to chad and joe for taking jenelle and myself out with them. learned a lot about the lake and managed to boat 3 in the morning (although I think it was the same fish 3 times bc they were all 37 inches haha) but the little lady got her first ever on her first ever muskie fishing outing...of course it was bigger than mine haha. ours came on the same obnoxious colored 9' sledge. Cant wait to start making more trips out there

[solgrande]

Good work guys and gals...we started out trolling ourselves but quit after 1 1/2hrs.Started cast and would finish out the day that way.Had 3 blowup on my bait throughout the day with two of them going airbourne one at boatside as i lifted my lure out-that was cool.No hookups but a fine day of casting...yes i was casting!! Lure of choice for all three was the straight shooter as well!!!nice bait.

Bob S

[Nalod]

I really had a great time on the water this past weekend fishing the tournament! I could not contribute to the amazing day the boat had, but I was really happy I could share in such great numbers.

Mike (Ronix) and Jenelle (she needs a LOU name) were a lot of fun to fish with and I hope to get on the water again with them soon...Chad was himself -- throwing black lures and getting hits)

Nitro was able to make the trip, and I attribute his showing to our poll! Good job everyone that voted for him to fish the tournament

Zach: Where were you? I did not see you on the lake nor at the awards ceremony. Were you not able to make it?

Larry: The tournament really was great. Thank you for all of the time you put in to make it a success.

--Joe

[LungeLumberLures]

Did anyone hear how the first place was caught casting or trolling, talked to the guy who placed second and both guys in the boat were throwing nickel/black twin tens so I know what he caught that fish on.

[ray j]

I believe he was trolling.

Ray J.

And did you hear, my buddy Ron donated the 50-50 cash back to the baitfish fund ???

[Nalod]

Ray: Great point...seeing your friend Ron win the 50/50 and then donate the money back to the baitfish fund was a really great gesture to see. We are all there to have a good time and to help out the baitfish fund. He really set a great example for all of us!

LungeLumberLures -- I am currently down in Chautauqua for the week. If I see Larry, I will be sure to ask him what he knows about the winning fish to share with everyone on the forum.

--Joe

[NitroMusky]

trolling...long point was the general area

[LungeLumberLures]

Joe- I am headed up tomorrow (Wednesday) for the day, how is the water color on the north end?I am in a 1985 Ranger bass boat white/silver&charcoal casting jerkbaits if you see me give a wave, really enjoy meeting the people behind the posts.

[Nalod]

The water color is a little better than the tournament weekend, but still not great. Also, the bite has been real tight. Everyone that I have been talking to are seeing only a few follows and even less catches. Hopefully the weather changes and wind shifts will turn the bite back on.

I am in a 17.5' 2006 Tracker Deep V with a walk thru windshield. I have not had a chance to musky fish myself (starting the week fishing with my family and making sure they are enjoying their time means a lot of perch fishing and also trying for bass and walleye). Hopefully I will be out on the water going for Mr. Toothy tomorrow and the rest of the week! I will keep an eye out for you and ask that you wave to me if you spot me first.

Best of luck fishing.

--Joe

[old man]

i was there last week from tues thru fri. fished sunup to sundown and never saw anything. i got out for a couple hours sat. before checkout and had one on for a couple seconds off lighthouse point. water was pea soup tuesday,but looking better as i was leaving.