# Chautaqua



## General (Oct 28, 2009)

Any one been up this year yet? We will probably be goin up around first of March. Fished off the Bell Tower last year.


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## CRAPPIE LOVER (Feb 11, 2007)

There have been earlier post's of guy's planning on going up..May want to go back and find them and PM the OGF'rs that were and may have gone..The Bell Tower and Long Point have alway's been good spots to start...JIM...CL....


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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

I went up last Saturday. Ice is in good shape, prolly 8-10", but the snow on top is a pain. We made it out to 38' and managed around 60 between the two of us fishing. Sizes were between 7-10", but the majority of the fish were around 8". 

Might make one more trip at some point, hopefully the walk is better and we can get out to the deeper water...


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

Bump -- I might be interested in a weekend trip up there....


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## Torch (Feb 10, 2007)

I also would be interested in going for a weekend soon. Would like to tag along with someone that knows the lake. Will pay more than my share on ALL expenses. Could get a few more to come if desired. 

Torch


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

Torch said:


> I also would be interested in going for a weekend soon. Would like to tag along with someone that knows the lake. Will pay more than my share on ALL expenses. Could get a few more to come if desired.
> 
> Torch


No doubt Torch.

I like to drive myself up and back and I normally stay in my own room at the hotel.

Also, I wouldn't even think about buying extra bait and such to help... I'll bring the gas auger to help with drilling holes!


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## Torch (Feb 10, 2007)

Perchy101 said:


> No doubt Torch.
> 
> I like to drive myself up and back and I normally stay in my own room at the hotel.
> 
> Also, I wouldn't even think about buying the bait and such to help... I'll bring the gas auger to help with drilling holes!




That sounds good, I have somone that would also want to go so hotel or cottage whatever everyone wants to do is fine. I like the cottage thing as I love to cook (or should I say eat) 

The gas auger sounds good, we have some ice gear- rods, 2-3 man clam-sled. we can get whatever lures or bait we need locally.

Lets see if we can get a small OFG group to meet for a weekend trip. 


Torch


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

Rather not go up blind...

Non Resident fishing is like 35$ for 7 day pass....


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## capt S (Sep 5, 2007)

i will be up there with the wife, snowmobiling and ice fishin feb. 19 and 20th. if you guys are planning on goin that weekend, you better start looking for hotels. the places are filling up fast for the ice festival they are having there.


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## Lightman (Jul 22, 2008)

I was up there saturday too, and have been a few other times this season. The lake has not been producing/the fish have not been as active as in years past..and the ice is good, although whats on top makes it tough, and there are giant slush fields in areas where you will just bury your quad. Walking out is tough as there's a little crust and then you break through to deep snow or slush with almost every step. I know on Saturday I had my quad wide open in 4wd doing like 5mph...deep stuff.


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## General (Oct 28, 2009)

When we go up we leave around 430am fish and come home. its only like a 3 hour drive. We fished off the bell tower last year the walk was about 50 yards and we were in 45' thats probably going to go up either march 5 or march 12


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## capt S (Sep 5, 2007)

any fresh reports headed up there this weekend. thanks!


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## monarkmagic (Mar 20, 2008)

I was also wondering the same thing also. I was planning on fishing Saturday 2/19 thru Monday 2/21 so I was hoping to hear a good report. Seems like everything posted on IS this year is pointing towards a tough year.


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## Lightman (Jul 22, 2008)

This fishing has been very slow. I have two friends have live up there and that's the latest. Some soft shore ice reported, however most areas should be ok ice wise. It has been a very tough year on Chaut, as well as other lakes it seems..


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## Bernie Babb (Apr 13, 2004)

I have been up twice this year and is definitely slower than the past two years. Fish have also been smaller than normal. There are tons of perch, but too many small ones.

I fished the bell tower and long point. Did not try for the gills in Mayville. Still fun and good luck.


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## monarkmagic (Mar 20, 2008)

We just got back from our trip. Saturday was sustained 35mph winds and we caught very few keepers. Sunday ended up being a beautiful day. Between 3 guys we caught over 200 perch and kept our 150. Most ranged from 7-9 inches. We fished from 8 to 3pm. A huge snowstorm came in Monday and we had to battle thru 8 plus inches of snow. We again caught over 200 and kept our 150 but finished up much quicker. This place is just stupid for perch!


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## General (Oct 28, 2009)

monarkmagic said:


> We just got back from our trip. Saturday was sustained 35mph winds and we caught very few keepers. Sunday ended up being a beautiful day. Between 3 guys we caught over 200 perch and kept our 150. Most ranged from 7-9 inches. We fished from 8 to 3pm. A huge snowstorm came in Monday and we had to battle thru 8 plus inches of snow. We again caught over 200 and kept our 150 but finished up much quicker. This place is just stupid for perch!


Thats the kinda report i like to hear. We went up march 19th last year. With the warm up were going to try and go up march 5th maybe. Nothing better than spending spring break ice fishing while others go to the beach.... I must have some sort of disease


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## Lightman (Jul 22, 2008)

You can definitely catch a lot of 7 inch skinny perch here, don't expect a 7" erie perch.. 8 and up are definitely harder to come by this year. Monark, I was out in that snowstorm as well, fun times...easy drag too. The drive home sucked. Shore is is questionable now guys, and they are expecting rain tomorrow. Hopefully it will get cold again and firm back up. A guy went through the ice north of vikings yesterday, up to his waist.


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## RUDDER (Feb 5, 2005)

Chataqua ice is still good. They didn't get all this rain. Heading up there next weekend.


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## Wannabitawerm (Apr 13, 2004)

Was up Sunday with lightman south of bell tower. The snow is deep and the drag is a bear. Slush is getting to be a big problem. Fished in 22fow and manger a ticket. Released well over 100 fish while sorting. Orange jig tipped with a minnow head worked very well. The early bite was non stop until about noon, then we had to work for them. Took a ride north to lightmans buddy's house for coffee then back to the car for the ride home. Fishing was awesome but conditions are deteriorating. Be careful as there is easily a foot of snow and some places a foot of slush too. 


Ain't technology great? Now I can be distracted by fishing everywhere I go!


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## WiseEyes (Apr 7, 2010)

when are we going general.... O and did you check out my other thread in the NE forum


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## ErieRider (Mar 23, 2010)

Any one make it up there this past weekend? Heard the shore ice was questionable but once on the ice its not bad at all, about 12 inches. Wanted to head up next weekend but wanted a decent ice report first. Anyone know of a clean decent priced hotel? Wanted to be near hogan huts bait. Not all that familiar with the area so a decent hotel and ice report would be great. ER


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## Lightman (Jul 22, 2008)

ErieRider, there are a lot of smaller locally run places I am sure that may be cheaper, but the Jamestown Comfort Inn is maybe 5 miles or so past hogans hut on 86 and if you ask for the skier's special it's $65/night, incl free breakfast. 

Sam, that was a fun day out there. Conditions were definitely deteriorating quickly that day due to the warmup, but that just made the snowmobile blast across the lake that much more 'interesting'...especially near those creek mouths haha.


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## ErieRider (Mar 23, 2010)

Lightman. Thanks. Any condition reports from this past weekend???


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## Lightman (Jul 22, 2008)

From what I hear and read, the shore ice is degrading and planks may be necessary soon in many areas. Once off the shore ice there seems to be pretty good thickness still. I'm putting my stuff away for the season. With this week's rain forecasted there, I think it's probably pretty close to shot.


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