**Chautauqua Lake BS**

[perch chacer]

Fished quit a ways out just pass the marina in Mayville.  Moved 6 times from 11FOW to 19FOW.  5" of dark ice with 2" of slush and 2" of hard white crust, very little snow on top.  Broke through the crust near the shore but stayed on top further out.  One of the worst fishing days for size I have ever had. Caught so many dink perch two us us could not count fast enough.  Must have been well over 200 but only kept (12) 8" and over.  Never thought I would get sick of catching perch.  Did not even have to jig or wait for the jig to get to the bottom a lot of times. 

[Lindy Jigger]

Dinks, dinks, dinks. That is all I caught there yesterday. didn't get one I would call a keeper. 10-20 at a time on the camera always there.  Where are the bigger ones?  out in 40 ft of water with the walleyes.

[krispcritter]

4 to 6 inches of new snow on the ice. Drag not bad.......for me anyways.

[BUCKSKI]

Anyone been out by Dewittville area? Whites and yellows? Heard nothing bout it yet? PM me if you need to plz.

[perch chacer]

We were out all day, bite was good with some keeper perch, but a lot of dinks again today.  6" of snow on top and drag was a little tough if you were off the trail.  Ice was 5" of black with 3" of white.  Slush went out from shore about 50 yds.

[trickin n killin]

I checked 10 different place and couldn’t find any 1 lb propane tanks. Finally the last place I checked has about 20 left. So if you’re looking for propane tanks for your heaters go to true valu in Lakewood. Good luck out there!

[krispcritter]

Just an early FYI. The Mayville ice castle and winter fest runs Feb. 18, 19, 20 this year.

[hammer44]

  So heading down to  Chat. to fish for waleyes  but not so sure the size limit there'I always thought it was 3 at 18 inch. but heard someone tell me it changed to 5 at 15 inch'.Dont want to get this wrong.You never know i might catch one LOL. Thanks

[hrdcore]

  So heading down to  Chat. to fish for waleyes  but not so sure the size limit there'I always thought it was 3 at 18 inch. but heard someone tell me it changed to 5 at 15 inch'.Dont want to get this wrong.You never know i might catch one LOL. Thanks

[hrdcore]

That's what Google says but a call to the DEC would be a good idea...

[hammer44]

     Thank You  Ya i am good with that, now  lets see if i can ice a few. It would be a first down there

[Bthe3rd]

Anyone here ever get a respectable amount of keepers at Chautauqua? I've been a few times but only ever seem to catch dinks... Do the big girls even exist in fishable numbers?

[bills25]

Anyone here ever get a respectable amount of keepers at Chautauqua? I've been a few times but only ever seem to catch dinks... Do the big girls even exist in fishable numbers?

They do they’re tough to find on the ice consistently without the convenience of a machine, especially with the heavy snow limiting options on foot.  But if you put the time in and move around they’re there.

[buck05]

Anyone know if they are still giving people tickets to park at vikings? Read it on here last year but did not actually fish there last year. Thanks

[Prchmike]

Anyone here ever get a respectable amount of keepers at Chautauqua? I've been a few times but only ever seem to catch dinks... Do the big girls even exist in fishable numbers?

Even on foot you have to use a run & gun approach to find bigger perch. If you don’t get them in one area get in your car and go to the next spot. More often than not fish tend to school by size. Find some good ones and stay on them. Sometimes the bigger fish may move in but you don’t want to waste your day pounding the punks. Just my opinion. Good luck.

[Angola Fish]

Anyone here ever get a respectable amount of keepers at Chautauqua? I've been a few times but only ever seem to catch dinks... Do the big girls even exist in fishable numbers?

Just my $.05 - runts on the bottom (1st foot) and the eater perch 2-3' up.  Except for Erie, I've always fished a little higher for larger perch. Their schooling by size is correct.  The smaller ones are less likely to go up.  The keepers I caught today at LP all had small gills in their stomachs.  Some say to use larger bait which probably works but fishing higher in the water column works for me.  Good luck.

[Riddlefiddle]

Anyone here ever get a respectable amount of keepers at Chautauqua? I've been a few times but only ever seem to catch dinks... Do the big girls even exist in fishable numbers?

Just my $.05 - runts on the bottom (1st foot) and the eater perch 2-3' up.  Except for Erie, I've always fished a little higher for larger perch. Their schooling by size is correct.  The smaller ones are less likely to go up.  The keepers I caught today at LP all had small gills in their stomachs.  Some say to use larger bait which probably works but fishing higher in the water column works for me.  Good luck.

. This is some good info. I never thought about how the perch will school by size.

[hammer44]

     Hey  S-Trout what motel you stay in ? making a trip for a couple days looking for a place to stay.  stayed at the motel right off the 90 years ago but wondered if there was something a bit closer . tia

[krispcritter]

Holiday motel.

We call it the Curry Castle locally

[Salty Ice Queen]

Watch where you step!!..some disgusting individual in a 1 man otter craped a log on the ice infront of everone...everyone... lot of drinks are everywhere,..including pa.

[bills25]

Anyone ever patterned walleye going shallow in the evening/night on Chautauqua.  I got into them last year 3 nights in a row 4th night was a dud.  It was late Feb, March dies late season factor in starting to turn to spring pattern?  All 4 nights we set up well before dark, no fish to be seen until evening walleye started moving in a schools of 4-6 fish.  The night we didn’t find them perch were there when we set up stayed around the whole time, we were in 10 ft of water sight fishing too so it wasn’t that the perch wouldn’t let the eyes get to the bait.  Tried a few times this year with no luck.  Just curious if anyone has fished this pattern and any rhyme or reason this.  I would have assumed perch would bring eyes into feed, but clearly hasn’t been the situation.

[BUCKSKI]

Anyone ever patterned walleye going shallow in the evening/night on Chautauqua.  I got into them last year 3 nights in a row 4th night was a dud.  It was late Feb, March dies late season factor in starting to turn to spring pattern?  All 4 nights we set up well before dark, no fish to be seen until evening walleye started moving in a schools of 4-6 fish.  The night we didn’t find them perch were there when we set up stayed around the whole time, we were in 10 ft of water sight fishing too so it wasn’t that the perch wouldn’t let the eyes get to the bait.  Tried a few times this year with no luck.  Just curious if anyone has fished this pattern and any rhyme or reason this.  I would have assumed perch would bring eyes into feed, but clearly hasn’t been the situation.

Yes I have and do try in shallower. Last year we got into to nice perch and a few short eyes on the first break near Dville. Everyone else was walking past us going deep while were trying to be quite hitting fish.
Anyone have info on ice?

[Rippinlips89]

Yes I have and do try in shallower. Last year we got into to nice perch and a few short eyes on the first break near Dville. Everyone else was walking past us going deep while were trying to be quite hitting fish.
Anyone have info on ice?

Wondering same thing about ice conditions.    Was hoping to take the quad out there tomorrow

[ricksimpson]

Thought this was funny

[SwampRat]

Thought this was funny

I needed that laugh today, hilarious. I can still hear the dude screaming hey. 

[regulator]

LMFAO! Now that was an "OH SH*T moment!!

[icebites]

One of the funniest videos I’ve seen. Glad all ok and no gear trashed but. Holy shnitz. Too many fish whistles 🤪

[04toyota79]

Priceless!!

[OneBucketMike]

One of the funniest videos I’ve seen. Glad all ok and no gear trashed but. Holy shnitz. Too many fish whistles 🤪

I agree. After watching that video, I clicked on some of a guy and his son catching 40" Pike in shallow water. Those are quite a hoot too.

[BUCKSKI]

wow what a ride. towed and have been towed in larger wooden huts on simcoe and nip. never like that!

I wonder how guys are doing on chat. with hogans tournament going on? Some wind, guys might be going on a similar ride today
any info on shore ice and spots to avoid?