Musky Itch

These are new, Guide rods, still in wrapper, they were double ordered. 1 - Rage RC711 HMF list 170.00 sell for 90.00 1 - Mojo Bass MBC 70HF list 110.00 sell for 60.00 716-595-3646

Please excuse the ranting of an old man who has been Musky fishing for almost 60 years, but I followed with sadness, the postings on another web site where posters, day after day ripped each other, and other Tournaments and I am sure you get the picture. For the last hour or so I have been listening to the comments of 5 of my friends who phoned after they read about the Chautauqua Bait fish Fund Tournament possibly adopting a 30" size, points event. I will make this brief, we hunt Musky: big, Toothy, mean, nasty and temperamental Musky because they are hard to figure out and even harder to catch. If we needed to catch dinks, or numbers of fish, we would jerk Perch or Crappie. Now since it takes 15 to 20 years to grow big Muskies and they are fragile fish throughout their developing years when being handled, the thought of targeting young fish especially during summer temp stress, for the sake of a few bucks or an ego trophy or whatever, especially by an organization promoting FISHERIES, seems somewhat contradictory don't you think ? We fished Larry's Tournament every year because it helped the Prendergast Musky hatchery and the development of the fish, and if you "MADE THE LIST" with your 42" plus fish, you knew you did something special, if not well, there was always next Tournament . But to turn it into an event that puts these same fish we just feed in peril makes absolutely no sense to us, and we would no longer with good conscience continue to support the event. All that being said, I would hope that our new, New York Chapter of Muskies Inc. will be a leader and not a follower, and abide by the "intent" of NYSDEC size limits set on each lake. After all, is not that part of the purpose of MI ? Sorry I cannot make the meeting, but I will be cutting weeds in Dunkirk Harbor till 6 pm. Gotta beat the storm.......... Chuck Battaglia lakes Manager, Cassadaga Lakes Association Musky Itch Too Guide Service

Our Conservation Director has certainly been busy, and I did enjoy our hour long phone chat. The Webster Lake link hits it right on the head. There HAS NEVER been a chemical weed treatment that did not have some hidden/long term negative result. Over my lifetime of 71 years I have seen them try many "no problem/no side effect" chemical treatments, that have devastated the fishery and/or environment. Folks, a selective, mechanical weed control program is the only sane method. End of story, and now the Chautauqua Lake Association is funding a study to allow chemical treatment of one of the jewels of NYS. The Condo owners and lake front developers only want a Bathtub for a lake, they have zero concern for the ecosystem. John Jablonski, Director of the Chautauqua Water Conservancy has been fighting this for years and he is on our side. I had John on my boat last year Musky fishing and we witnessed an undeveloped Wetland shore line on Chautauqua where the harvesters had wiped out a giant weed bed. This bed was a noted Musky spawn area and there was no reason to cut it. This kind of indiscriminate action is what we are up against on Chautauqua Lake. Here on Cassadaga Lake, over the last 6 years I have been able to show the Board of Directors that the selective weed management program has redeveloped a dead fishery into a NYSDEC Preferred Lake Status waterway.Also, for the past 5 years, all Musky eggs used at the Prendergast Hatchery came from Cassadaga Lake Muskies only, as the region 9 Biologists recognized the health/hardiness of the little beasties. We have left "nursery area weed beds untouched" for the bait fish and babies to hide and grow and have seen an explosion of Perch, Sunfish, Crappies and some very fat Bass and Musky. As an organization and as individuals, we must fight the uninformed and the "for a buck only developers" for if they win, your children will miss out on what we had. Also, on another note, with water temps in the 80's*, please use water releases on your catches, save the pictures till temps drop. Thanks................. Chuck Battaglia Lakes Manager, Cassadaga Lakes Association Musky Itch Too Guide Service

Name: Chuck Battaglia Location: Chautauqua County Home Port: Chautauqua Lake Boat Name/Type: Musky Itch Too/18' Fisher Avenger I fish for: Everything, but Guide for Musky ================== Was impressed by the start up group for the Muskies Inc. meeting. I think we have the beginning of something good here. Zach, thanks for giving us a kick start on this, it take's a "doer" to make thing's happen. Look forward to contributing on any level you need me, nice finally meeting you Chad after hearing all the bad thing's Mike say's about you. Ha, Ha. Now the real work can begin. HERE WE GO.........