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Nice catch Big Fish! We've been going to Chautauqua. Perch aren't as big there, but still decent sized. We're up to 980 (three weekends, a group of us). All 8-9 inches.
perch aint changed much in length in the last 5 years...jmo
I caught three 12" perch this year at Chautauqua and a couple 11" but mainly 8-10" fish in this lake this year. I was out over a dozen times. If you really need the 10 TO 12" perch in quantity Chautauqua is the wrong lake for you. Try Oneida it is still safe or Erie but Erie may not be safe anymore.
He caught it on a tip up trying for Walleye or big perch. He had used a 6" auger to drill the holes and had to get a bigger one to lengthen the hole to get it out. Even then managing to get it out of the hole was a feat. This was after fighting him by hand for at least 1/2 and hour, maybe longer. He definitely "earned" that fish. I hope he gets a replica to mount on the wall next to his picture of it.My friend a week ago caught one on a jigging rapala of Dewitville Bay that he says was 48 inches and a foot across the back. He didn't have a camera (or phone) to take a picture, though. Most guys I wouldn't believe but he actually doesn't even have a cell phone and fishes all the time. When Musky season opens, I'm going to have to give it a try here. I'm sure my wife won't mind me spending even more money on the poles and lures for another kind of fishing. Especially when she finds out we won't be eating it, and could be paying more to mount it!
That muskie is most likely DEAD! If that dude fought it in cold water for more than a half hour and then held it out of the water for god knows how long just so you could take a picture it got very stress out and probably died.In fact it is illegal to remove them from the water out of season. I hope your buddy gets tracked down by the DEC and ticketed (not likely). If you truly have respect for the fish and hook them through the ice you should break them off imediately unless you are SURE you can remove the hook/lure without taking them out of the water (also not likely).If you want to target them during the season that's great and I encourage it. Winter is a rough time for muskie and they don't recover well from long fights and being out of the water in cold air. Even in open water a long (15 min+) fight and handling will kill a lunge long term.Any real musky angler will tell you the quicker they're in the net, released, and back in the water the better.Please don't target them through the ice and if you hook one don't play with it and try to ice it. Please.
any update on conditions today?
It's been awhile since I've been to Chautauqua. Isn't there a boat launch on east side of lake near where the ferry use to cross.
It's been awhile sence I've been to Chautauqua. I'snt there a boat lanch on east side of lake near where the ferry use to cross.
GOOD! All those stinky, slimy, good for nothing fish that do is devour the bass and walleyes. Kill em all as far as I'm concerned. JMO.
Stickbow, spoken like a true sportsman.....NOT!!!! Chautauqua has historically been a MUSKIE lake, with an active stocking and rearing lake with a hatchery that supplies stocked muskies for many bodies of water throughout NY, PA,and OH. Your statement is ignorant and is indicative of the type of person you really are. Chautauqua as a whole as been flourishing as a fishery for the last several years,for ALL species. So you and your ignorant post hold no weight.Muskies....all other fish are just bait!!!