# lake chautauqua muskies



## Kastmaster93 (Aug 6, 2008)

hey, ive posted this in the Out of State forum as well hoping to get as much info as posiible. im going up to lake chautauqua for muskies for 3 days starting this coming wednesday. i will be staying at We Wan Chu cottages and renting a boat from them as ours is still getting worked on. anyways, im looking for some help if anyone knows methods or any tips as to how we might get into one, as i have never fished for them before. we're going to hire a guide the first day so we can get acquainted and learn knowledge we'll have for the rest of the trip. right now any information will help as muskies are one of the only fish i havent gone after. thanks for any help.
kast


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## Indian Summer (May 26, 2008)

Yeah I can help you four sure! My wife & I won a tournament there a couple weeks ago. The week after I fished it with a few friends. They went back again last weekend. We caught at least a half dozen muskies every trip. The biggest was a 49 last weekend. Head out of We Wan Chu and go either way. To the left you'll pass the Bell Tower. After that get out in 30 feet of water or more. That depth will take you diagonally across the lake to the red roofed condos. That's one good spot. To the right is the Prendergast Launch. Out in front in 30-32 feet and all the way down to Long Point which sticks out of the other side of the lake.... you CAN'T miss it. Stay out there! I would strongly suggest stopping in Hogan's Hut which is just before the bridge when you get to the lake on 86. Invest in a Legend Perch bait. Black sucker or something similar. Nothing bright. Let out about 70 feet of line and cruise around doing about 5 mph. Look for bait and pound it. 

Yeah.... you could get a fish or two jerk baiting the weeds or trolling the weed edge. The fish will likely be smaller and if you don't know the lake staying on the weed edge can be tough. You could easily get skunked in there too. Don't let a teeny little musky following your lure trick you into believing that's the place to be. There's a deep water bite right now which is great for you if you've never been there. Just stay deep and if you get a fish pound the area. Good luck and let us know how you do.


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## Kastmaster93 (Aug 6, 2008)

Thanks a lot, that's great info. I'm leaving this Wednesday and going out with recommended guide mike sperry Thursday. Really looking forward to the trip, never musky fished before. 
Kast


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

Man, talk about step-by-step instructions! lol....

Those perchbaits are sweet right now though.....We had literally every singe bait (4) get eaten last week.


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

I'll second pretty much everything Indian Summer said....He is limited to only using a 23' SportCraft so, of course, he is going to push the deep water trolling thing. Yes, right now the deep water bite is hot, but I still think that you have to be equipped to be versitile. Sometimes, the only way to win a total point/inches tournament is beating the weeds...most of the time actually. 

Bottom line is that if you just want to catch muskies to catch muskies, the more consistant numbers are certainly in casting the weeds. However, if you're looking for that trophy of a lifetime and don't mind having days with very little to no action, troll the depths of Chautauqua. With that said, the largest fish I've ever taken out of there was a 48 1/2 hog weighing well over 30# and I got her casting a jerkbait in front of the condos! Go figure. Most of my fish over 40" have been taken trolling deeper water. Good Luck! I'll be there this coming Fri. and Sat. with the Erie boat....JUST deep water trolling


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## Muskie_Guy (Mar 14, 2007)

Indian Summer said:


> Yeah I can help you four sure! My wife & I won a tournament there a couple weeks ago. The week after I fished it with a few friends. They went back again last weekend. We caught at least a half dozen muskies every trip. The biggest was a 49 last weekend. Head out of We Wan Chu and go either way. To the left you'll pass the Bell Tower. After that get out in 30 feet of water or more. That depth will take you diagonally across the lake to the red roofed condos. That's one good spot. To the right is the Prendergast Launch. Out in front in 30-32 feet and all the way down to Long Point which sticks out of the other side of the lake.... you CAN'T miss it. Stay out there! I would strongly suggest stopping in Hogan's Hut which is just before the bridge when you get to the lake on 86. Invest in a Legend Perch bait. Black sucker or something similar. Nothing bright. Let out about 70 feet of line and cruise around doing about 5 mph. Look for bait and pound it.
> 
> Yeah.... you could get a fish or two jerk baiting the weeds or trolling the weed edge. The fish will likely be smaller and if you don't know the lake staying on the weed edge can be tough. You could easily get skunked in there too. Don't let a teeny little musky following your lure trick you into believing that's the place to be. There's a deep water bite right now which is great for you if you've never been there. Just stay deep and if you get a fish pound the area. Good luck and let us know how you do.


Dont limit your self to naturals ! Firetiger, Orange Tiger and Yellow Walleye have worked up there for me


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## Muskie_Guy (Mar 14, 2007)

my august lure profile on my site is the legend perchbait


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## Cutt'em Jack (Feb 17, 2008)

Just be careful with your tackle up there. A buddy of mine just got a lakewood monster stolen that was full of plows!


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## Muskie_Guy (Mar 14, 2007)

wow that sucks ! thats a hard loss


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

I'll be there friday in the 16' Sea Monster. Hoping my girl gets to hear that Penn screaming!


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## 1roofmusky (May 20, 2008)

MuskieJim said:


> I'll be there friday in the 16' Sea Monster. Hoping my girl gets to hear that Penn screaming!


????????????????? REALLY JIM ???????????????? LOL LOL I think that was a few weeks back! (inside joke)


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