Chautauqua Thread

[Postletown]

heading to mayville tonight, heard the crappie bite has picked up. Anyone been out there this week?

[FrankM]

Do the calicos only bite at night for ice fishing?

[nateG]

Do the calicos only bite at night for ice fishing?

Nah, the beers do good also!

[mikeymjr23]

How's the ice?  still good for a Sunday/Monday outing???

[C-Bisket]

How's the ice?  still good for a Sunday/Monday outing???

Weather for Mayville as of now - Sat. 24deg. to 37 deg - Sun. 29 - 40 Deg. - Mon. 29 to 40 deg. ... sunny - low winds (under 15) all three days - should be a go for Sunday, Monday (still a foot +/- of ice out there) ... the only issue would be sub layers - top water that froze / thawed / froze, in the last few days - and will continue to from now on out - it could get pretty juicy on top!! ... but I’d bet you’ll make it till Monday without significant issue!

[Full_Choke]

Hey guys just wanted to tell everyone THANKS for taking the time to post all these reports. They sure have shortend the learning curve!
Beautiful out there today.
 Thanks again!

[mikeymjr23]

I agree!  I just started ice fishing this year and caught the bug.  This has been nice to have folks help out!

[marcus]

gonna have the whole family and some out tomorrow in mayville it is 17 degrees there right now gonna be nice .  mikey I will be fishing at least another week - week and a half probably longer out there you are fine sunday/monday. May get slushy but fishable. went west of chatauqua on the crappie search and hit findley. Nice lake out there decent/good ice and plenty of fish. 3 of us got 20-25 not sure I let my buddies have them seeing as I just got laid off and will be fishing daily until the ice disappears beneath me. lots of shorts out there too .

[mikeymjr23]

Sounds like my kinda weather...shorts!  haha.

Might have to break out the uninsulated stuff for this week.

[Postletown]

I know you guys have been updated since I was last out on Thursday night, but here it is anyway...
Fished at Mayville from 530pm-1am in 7 FOW.  Only ended up with 3 crappie (2 keepers 11" each).  We only got 4 small perch, but saw plenty of craps on the camera just couldn't get em to hit consistently.  I was just happy to get a couple finally.  The ice was good, but about a foot of slush and snow on top, almost got the quad stuck when we got off the snowmobile trail so we just set up on the trail to avoid it.  More craps than we have seen all season so im guessing they are on their way into the shallows.  The fish we did catch only bit on live shiners, wouldn't touch the waxworms.  Good luck this weekend! I hope the ice goes away soon so we can get the boat out and really hit the crappie.  The birds are chirping this morning, thats a good sign! 

[Chi]

 Just a tip, This year I started vacuum sealing my fish, used to freeze them in water/Tupperware containers, I'm convinced Vac Sealing  is the way to go. It takes up so much less room than my old way and I'll bet they could last up to two years without getting freezer burn. Bet they get eatten before two years LOL. If your not using the sealer give it a shot, bet you won't go back.  

[Crappie_Rod]

Freeze your fillets for about an hour os so then vac. seal them. The bag sucks down around the fillets better when they are firmer than putting them in wet. I have found when they are wet, doesn't seem to get all the air out. It leaves pockets of air between the pieces. I also do this with my venison chops and steaks. All last longer this way. I have 3 sealers and have probably been using them for 10 years now.

[Crappie_Rod]

How is the ice and the slush? Any one get sun burned today? Wanted to make the trip up today but had to work. I am making the trip in the am tomm. Any one fish Pendergast today? How are they bitting?

[Chi]

Freeze your fillets for about an hour os so then vac. seal them. The bag sucks down around the fillets better when they are firmer than putting them in wet. I have found when they are wet, doesn't seem to get all the air out. It leaves pockets of air between the pieces. I also do this with my venison chops and steaks. All last longer this way. I have 3 sealers and have probably been using them for 10 years now.

  I like your idea C_R will give it a try for sure

[bogeyjoker]

What do you guys recommend for vacuum sealers, brand/model?

[mikeymjr23]

Anyone here going in around lakewood?  Been seein a bunch of people up there. 

What are you hitting there?

[Chi]

What do you guys recommend for vacuum sealers, brand/model?

I have a Deni Magic Vac Vacuum Sealer, easy to use not overloaded with useless bells & whistles, I buy the 8" and 11" rolls and cut the bags to length, a lot cheaper than buying precut bags.

[Crappie_Rod]

2 of mine are from Walmart. And the other one is from Ron Popeel. One is 8 in. and the other two are 11in.

[mikeymjr23]

Hitting Burtis tomorrow.  Anyone having luck out there?  I have been seeing tons of shantys out there

[C-Bisket]

MAN I was lookin forward to hittin’ Erie today (been 30 years since I was on that ice - grew-up right on the lake @ Lotus Bay as a kid) - hung in the “Hamburg Lot” this morning from 5:45 to 6:30 for a no show ... I - sure - was - lookin’ - forward to those Erie Fat’ T’z - you bet’cha (8 -10 crews were heading out at first light while I waited) ... we quickly changed modes to the standards (fished with Tom today)... drove out to hit PG for the spike / Hali, minnow / red tear drop combo drowning contests for two hours at @ 32 ft - 4 keepers came of that ... then at 1:00’sh we hit the BT special “same holes fished the last 5 times out now in 6 days” - knocked out 36 keepers in 2 hours (note: these fish were running just a smidge above standard quality today - mid to high 9’s and fat - starting to spew eggs and sperm on the ice these last few days)- about 45 - 50 guys out there today - then off at 3:00m, called it a day.

Takin’ tomorrow off - but Wednesday looks like a go, with a forecast in the low 50’s, late rain - Thursday / Friday is mid 50’s, roughly 50% chance of rain each day ... ice is fine now (about the same as yesterdays post) we ran a wheeler at PG to 500 yards out in both directions off the launch (one other wheeler out there, 4 other groups) ... it was late ice style, doable, but probably the last day this year of that mode of transportation - snow is heavy on top (about 2” -4”) - some slushy areas (that are fairly apparent) but this was before noon ... we put it up from that point on, and walked out off BT ... it was a “WARM ONE” out there this afternoon (tee and a sweatshirt / no shanty) ... WAY nice / low wind ... I’m a lobster!
... no real unusual issues at either of these two areas worth mentioning ... it’s normal later season warming weather ice ... for now!

Still there for the pickin’ - bite's great!!!!

[bowhuntnsteve]

I cant fish till the weekend but its the shore ice that will be in question to me come Saturday morn after the warm temps and rain.

[mikeymjr23]

I fished the open waters at the Boat landing in Jamestown tonight.  Bullhead were hitting...and a couple of sunnies.  Just don't like the idea of hitting the ice alone...specially now.

The ice I was on yesterday in Maple Springs was good.  The walk wasn't half bad either.

[marcus]

mikey bell tower 9-ish tomorrow won't have to fish alone.

[waltergirl]

Heading to mayville  today Hopefully we will catch sumtin good besides a buzz hehe :

[mikeymjr23]

mikey bell tower 9-ish tomorrow won't have to fish alone.

Wish I had seen this last night!   Internet went out at my house yesterday and we just got it fixed this morning.

[doctariAFC]

Just a tip, This year I started vacuum sealing my fish, used to freeze them in water/Tupperware containers, I'm convinced Vac Sealing  is the way to go. It takes up so much less room than my old way and I'll bet they could last up to two years without getting freezer burn. Bet they get eatten before two years LOL. If your not using the sealer give it a shot, bet you won't go back.  

no doubt Chi, gotta get me one of them....

Don't know if I'll make one last run before the hard stuff melts away, as I am working the Sportsman's Expo for the Erie County Fisheries Advisory Board on Friday.  May also help out at the Federation Booth if the shift we need covered Saturday goes unfilled.  

I will say thanks to everyone who came out and fished this year for being solid sportsmen and women.  Got to meet many of you all out on teh ice, and I know that I had a blast this year fishing with everyone that I met, and everyone that came out... 

The vast majority of us have caretaken the lake properly, taking our trash with us, and if we have seen rubbage left by a handful of slobs, many have picked up that trash, too.  We had a super season out there after a touchy start with weird ice conditions early, but everyone that came down to Chautauqua that I have spoken with all have said the same things.  Best ice fishing year they've ever had, and if this was their first year ice fishing, they are hooked for life.  THAT is awesome, and speaks well to everyone in here contributing to improve the enjoyment of this wonderful winter pastime for all.

Way to go.  Makes me very proud to be a sportsmen's rep in WNY and NYS.  As I say about the hunters in WNY, so do I say about the anglers in WNY.  We have the cream of the crop here, and many could learn from what we do, and indeed many have.

But, as all seasons change, it is now getting to the time when we start thinking about making casts rather than cutting holes.  And the fishin' should be wonderful again this year...

I do plan on heading down to the lake at some point this weekend to get my shanty squared away for the season, and to check the area for any debris that may be along the shoreline.  If we need to hold a clean up party, I'll put that out there when I return.  May be tough to tell with all the snow still down there, but I will do my best to let every one know....

Thanks again, and I am so thrilled everyone had a great (and safe) ice fishing season on Chautauqua Lake.

[burtbomberz]

Lots of stuff to add...I use a black and decker sealer...works fine..soak fish in salt water day before..seem to last just fine.  On a gross note...my buddy and i are walking off the ice and he picks up a bag of garbage, I notice that it is leaking brown fluid, suddnely other buddy gets a wiff ...some gross bass turd took a duce...then left it in a bag...people are disgusting!  He got it to shore and then we left it...didn't have another bag and it wasn't going in my vehicle.  i caught my limit at the BT ...my buddies got 14 between the two of them.   having the vex is such an advantage...know when to call them in, know when to let it sit still for a second and use tiny wiggles...my buddies were practically sitting in my lap and still got only a few...I talked smack all day...i'm a jerk at times.  I did let them use my vex at times but they quite didn't get the intracrisies.  50' fow water 12' foot up all day!  The great info on this site really helped and made the 2 hour drive worthwhile..thanks to all...see you out there next ice season.

[doctariAFC]

Lots of stuff to add...I use a black and decker sealer...works fine..soak fish in salt water day before..seem to last just fine.  On a gross note...my buddy and i are walking off the ice and he picks up a bag of garbage, I notice that it is leaking brown fluid, suddnely other buddy gets a wiff ...some gross bass turd took a duce...then left it in a bag...people are disgusting!  He got it to shore and then we left it...didn't have another bag and it wasn't going in my vehicle.  i caught my limit at the BT ...my buddies got 14 between the two of them.   having the vex is such an advantage...know when to call them in, know when to let it sit still for a second and use tiny wiggles...my buddies were practically sitting in my lap and still got only a few...I talked smack all day...i'm a jerk at times.  I did let them use my vex at times but they quite didn't get the intracrisies.  50' fow water 12' foot up all day!  The great info on this site really helped and made the 2 hour drive worthwhile..thanks to all...see you out there next ice season.

      

Holy crap!!  That's just rude.....

[mikeymjr23]

haha

[waltergirl]

Fished mayville yesterday  got a lot of blue gill and sunnies my dad brother and me got a few crappie  and we all got SUNBURNED  it was such a beautiful day to sit out on the ice  had to take my coat off cuz it was tooo hott i have never said that ice fishing befor could of wore a sweater and jeans for awhile there lol