# Chautauqua



## Bernie Babb (Apr 13, 2004)

Fished Chautauqua Thursday and Friday at the Bell Tower in 50 fow. Had a great trip and two of us caught hundreds of perch, many too small. However we were able to bring home our limit of perch between 8" and 13". On Friday we did better with the larger perch by leaving the lure on bottom and just lifting and they would be on the line. The smaller fish were higher and too aggressive. We were using shiners but when we ran out we started using perch eyes with good luck.
It was very windy but my new 3 man Eskimo shed worked great. It takes 2 1/4 hours to drive to Lake Chautauqua. Its not too late as we had a good 6 inches of ice.


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## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

Thanks for the report Bernie. See you on the local lakes next season.


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## Bernie Babb (Apr 13, 2004)

icebucketjohn said:


> Thanks for the report Bernie. See you on the local lakes next season.


Look forward to it John.....maybe we can go to Chautauqua together.


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## Fish2Win (Jan 21, 2009)

Bernie Babb said:


> Look forward to it John.....maybe we can go to Chautauqua together.


Did I just log onto plenty of fish?


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## lovin life (Jan 2, 2010)




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## Full_Choke (Apr 13, 2004)

Nice job !


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## joewallguy (Jan 18, 2008)

Also fished Sat and Sunday as well as 2 days last week. 50 per man limits every time with twice as many throw backs. A few big perch in the mix but you have to keep the 8 inchers. Same location. 37 fow one day 48 another, and 24 foot was the ticket today. Slower today but No one could complain. We left the ice at 130 today and boy was it getting weird. I almost went threw about 20 feet off the beach on the way in. One leg sunk almost into the water. It needs to make it threw tomorrow then it gets colder up there again. I think it may holdout. Shore ice is the concern. We brought a 10 foot plank each day this weekend and left it all day to cross the crack ( 2" ) at shore. Seen a nut job yesterday flying around on a 3 wheeler with out a care in the world. Doing spins and even dragging kids on a sled. Good to see Ohio is not the only place with ice morons. Ice was 6'' , 3 clear , and 3 white re-freeze. The top lost a lot today. Wouldn't surprise me if the 3 clear holds out then new freeze on top again. I've been 4 times in 2 weeks and got 200 perchys or 400 ice fillets in the freezer so It has been well worth it and a absolute blast. Sure is not Ashtabula size but who doesn't love popcorn perch! in stead of crapy lent menu specials. #3 pimples. Fished a bunch of other lures and we liked it best with a perch eye. raps worked. Locals are so sick of little perch they aggressively jig bare raps. Good end to my ice season! 75 shantys out Saturday and Id say 35 today and a DNR checking for license and bait bought in NY receipt.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

Good report maybe next year I will take a trip up


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## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

Looks like a trip to Jamestown, NY next season may be in the works.


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## Bernie Babb (Apr 13, 2004)

joewallguy said:


> Also fished Sat and Sunday as well as 2 days last week. 50 per man limits every time with twice as many throw backs. A few big perch in the mix but you have to keep the 8 inchers. Same location. 37 fow one day 48 another, and 24 foot was the ticket today. Slower today but No one could complain. We left the ice at 130 today and boy was it getting weird. I almost went threw about 20 feet off the beach on the way in. One leg sunk almost into the water. It needs to make it threw tomorrow then it gets colder up there again. I think it may holdout. Shore ice is the concern. We brought a 10 foot plank each day this weekend and left it all day to cross the crack ( 2" ) at shore. Seen a nut job yesterday flying around on a 3 wheeler with out a care in the world. Doing spins and even dragging kids on a sled. Good to see Ohio is not the only place with ice morons. Ice was 6'' , 3 clear , and 3 white re-freeze. The top lost a lot today. Wouldn't surprise me if the 3 clear holds out then new freeze on top again. I've been 4 times in 2 weeks and got 200 perchys or 400 ice fillets in the freezer so It has been well worth it and a absolute blast. Sure is not Ashtabula size but who doesn't love popcorn perch! in stead of crapy lent menu specials. #3 pimples. Fished a bunch of other lures and we liked it best with a perch eye. raps worked. Locals are so sick of little perch they aggressively jig bare raps. Good end to my ice season! 75 shantys out Saturday and Id say 35 today and a DNR checking for license and bait bought in NY receipt.



Good post...looks like the same results. I plan to go again this week Thursday and Friday...hope the ice holds up. Both lures worked, just lay on bottom and lift and we got the bigger fish.


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## joewallguy (Jan 18, 2008)

Yep same here Bernie. Bigger fish come glued to bottom. Sunday everyone seemed to struggle a bit. I did well in the bottom. I put a slip bobber stop knot on my line to use as a bottom marker to help. I was 2 inches off bottom twitching so low I couldn't see my lure or mark fish it was so into bottom. I actually turned off my vex because I couldn't see anyway and I could focus on my rod tip more. It out produced the rest of our group. Previous days you could work fish up better. Anyone planning this trip, I would for sure. I know it will now be annual for me


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## Ruminator (Apr 6, 2004)

I've bass fished Chautauqua a few times before. Its a good lake. 
I'd be interested in ice-fishing it next year too.


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