Ivan

Glad you went. Zach told me you were there. Not sure how i missed you. You got some nice baits. Good to book a day with Todd...he can teach you alot. He's one of the best on the lake for sure. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

After you get your down east rod holders set up to dunk your rods, be careful how you let your bait out. Put your bait and rod tip under the surface of the water and let your line and bait out with tension so it is running some and diving...not floating on the surface, collecting weeds already. Then put your rod in the holder with your rod tip under the water. If the weeds are real bad, fish another area. They are usually blown to one side of the lake more than the other or just concentrated in certain areas. The weeds at Chautauqua can be pretty bad though. Sometimes when i clean the rods, i cant even make it all the way around the boat to clean all six before i need to clean them all over again. When it gets that bad, i get out of that area asap. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

Yep... Double Tree Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

Aren't you from the Pittsburgh area if I remember right? Come to the Muskie Max show this Saturday in Cranberry and get a few baits that you should have. Wiley, Baker, Boss Shad, and others will be there. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

You are asking all the same questions you did last year. Get some braid for main line and long fluorocarbon leaders with big swivels at the main line end of the leader. Get down east rod holders and dunk the tips of your rods about a foot under the surface of the water. Thats the best way to limit the collection of floating weeds on flat lines. Like i said last year, having the tips of your rods close to the water doesnt do anything for you. I would get some long muskie rods or use 10' dipsey rods for your side rods. They are a little stiffer than the downrigger rods that you probably have. With those rods and down east rods holders, you will have no trouble dunking your rod tips. No way your boat sits too high out of the water to dunk your rods. You could still use your downriggers for your two back rods. People didnt bs you last year. You got solid advice for the questions you asked. All the lures already mentioned are good choices. Although im sure the Candies are great baits, you may have some sticker shock with them. Once you really get into it, you can start buying $80 to $150 baits if you want, but i wouldnt start with those. Wileys, Bakers, Boss Shads, Tuff Shads, and Legends are basically all I use on Chq and they catch tons of fish. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

44, 37.5, 35.5 would have been Frank and Mike's 3 biggest last year. 39 points. I didnt notice any other bigger fish that were caught in the tourney hours in that post from last year. It would take a couple 46"ers to beat them or a 65.5" haha. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

You should check to see if 3 biggest fish rule would have changed the results of your Chautauqua tourney last year. The winners had good numbers that day. I'd be curious to see what difference it would make with a real example. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

That's the best tournament format imo.

I agree hanging this fish to weigh it would be bad. However, just because it says it was 35 pounds doesnt mean he actually weighed it on a scale. I didnt see that it said the fish was actually weighed, but I may have missed it. Theres lots of guys out there that estimate or claim weights of fish they catch without actually weighing them. Especially with muskies that are released. Im not trying to support what may or may not have happened either. Just an observation. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

This is the real problem...if people are targeting the fish out of season or think it's ok. By the size of that hole in the ice, it looks like that's a possibility here. The St Lawrence muskie population is struggling now too, so that would be a shame if people were really targeting them through the ice. If an angler accidentally catches a nice fish out of season, I thinks it's reasonable for them to want a picture as long as the fish is released safely. I could see the DEC or whoever changing that part of the law, like the link posted in this thread suggested. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

I don't fish for muskies or any fish, out of season, but if I did catch a trophy sized fish incidentally/accidentally, I would want a picture of it also. I'm also very confident in my release techniques and abilities.

We fish Chautauqua about every weekend we can as long as we aren't on a trip to Canada somewhere. Can't blame you about not making it there. If I was closer to the the St Lawrence i'd never make it to Chq either. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

I've been fishing Chautauqua pretty consistently for muskies since 1998. We always released nice fish up to 49" there, but never a 50" until 2014. Then 3 up to 53" there in 2 seasons. Back to normal in 2016...a 49" was our biggest there this year. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

Cool article. Thanks for posting. I saw an old CanAm tournament video from Chautauqua that was professionally filmed. Ray and Shorty Elkins won the tournament with quite a few fish and landed a 50 while being filmed. John Parry (Parrywinkle) was in the video too. Its cool to see some of this older stuff. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

That's awesome Chad. Congrats! That's a nice fish and a great picture. Seems like you are dialed in up there this year. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

I like the south shore. If you are going to be down at that end of the lake id fish the east hole, in front of the Thames, Stoney Point and in front of the Ruscom. I havent been there since our week at the end of June so no idea what depth most of the fish are in. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

Where are you staying/launching? US or Canada? Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

I dont know about tiger growth rates. I know a pa/oh hatchery pure can reach 30" in 3 years. I also thought anonymous growth rates stats seemed very generous though. Id like to see data/published report on it. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

Why should people keep their comments to themselves? Someone sharing their opinions isn't any different than you sharing your opinions. You just don't agree with them. Also...Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's the right choice or ethical. If I kept all the legal muskies I caught over the years, fishing would suck. I'm of the opinion that there's no need to keep a muskie. Not that keeping one here or there is the end of the world, but it certainly sounds like fishing for larger tigers on Otisco would be better if more people practiced catch and release. I don't fish the lake, so I don't really care about that specific body of water. This thread has been entertaining though.

Nice job guys!