Chautauqua

[Chautauquanuy]

I have been fishing Chautauqua 30+ days a year since 1983. I am not the best fisherman but with all those days fishing there, I have developed exceptional weed and slime lure picking off Skills. Comes with the territory.

[MasterCASTER!]

Yeah - it's a shame we couldn't meet up for lunch! Seems we were at opposite ends of the lake from each other, or I forgot my phone in the cabin.......lol. We smashed the largemouths on docks actually......finding a little deeper docks with the 'good' weeds was key. Our best 5 went 18.69#...which included a 4.27lb smallie I caught on a bed and a 3lber my buddy caught on a bed too. Yes - I said on a bed. In 76 degree water. To be honest - friday afternoon and evening - I saw 6 smallies circling in an area and have no doubt in my mind they were just now moving up to beds. Crazy as that sounds.

I grew up fishing that lake, and have been going now for 30+ years. MANY of my normal 'go-to' spots on that lake for smallies was weeded out, I've never seen that lake this bad this early in the year. Even locals we talked to kept asking us what we thought about the weeds.....they are fighting with the lake board to get it sprayed. All the slimey weeds are weeds from last year that didn't die off over the winter......due to it being such a mild winter........and are dying off now. It was ridiculous.

BUT - all in all it was another awesome trip! Booked again for next year.

[KHNC]

Good deal! I saw two big smallies in Irwin bay friday afternoon. One 4+ that was circling a bed but wasnt committed. Ran the entire lake on friday looking for the right pile of milfoil. We are going to Lanier next year for a week. Northern trips have been good but a little too dependent on the weather. And i can fish less pressure on Lanier than PIB! if you can believe that. LOL. May go back to Champlain in 2019 though. Thanks again for the info.

[gtfd455]

We fished June 12 - 16. First time on the lake. Caught alot of fish, biggest smallmouth was 3lbs, biggest largemouth was just under 3 lbs. Did not expect how thick the weeds were. South end of the lake is very thick. Caught fish on frogs, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, plastics. Great trip for us, good luck.

[MasterCASTER!]

gtfd455 - KHNC and I were all up there the same week!

[MasterCASTER!]

My dumbazz cousin caught a 7.5lb smallie.........on a white spinnerbait..........in the middle of nothing. I swear that dude is the same guy that caught a largemouth on a chicken nugget. Same kind of dumb luck.

[kingfisher42]

I have been fishing Chautauqua 30+ days a year since 1983. I am not the best fisherman but with all those days fishing there, I have developed exceptional weed and slime lure picking off Skills. Comes with the territory.

i have never seen the slime like that. weeds i have no issue with the fish love and need them. was the slime bad cause mild winter you think chautauqua guy?

[MasterCASTER!]

Yes it was. Lake never froze enough to kill off last years weeds completely.......and all that slime is the result. It's whats left of the weeds that didn't die thru the winter and are dead/decaying now. Had a nice chat with a guy that lives on the lake one day while fishing his dock. It was a long enough conversation I put my poled down and sat on the front deck. I got edjumicated that day on weeds.

[Chautauquanuy]

i have never seen the slime like that. weeds i have no issue with the fish love and need them. was the slime bad cause mild winter you think chautauqua guy?

The lake was partially frozen in mid Feb, but there was plenty of open water. But it was 60 degrees that Feb weekend (Ice Festival weekend). But no ice castle because of lack of ice. We actually had a flower blooming on an annual that survived when we opened up in mid April. Three of last years annuals survived the winter.

I have yet to predict weed or slime levels based on winter weather. It was a wet spring and many say that timing of spring fertilization of fields and house/cottage grass fertilization with high rain runoff dump a lot of nutrients into the lake. I think those nutrients are a factor but ice with a heavy snow blanket on top, doesn't allow much light penetration and limit early weed growth. Many of the homes and cottages have well fertilized lawns so the don't feed the weeds program may not be working.

I may not have gained any better fishing skills over the last 30 years but I have developed world class picking off weed and slime from your Lures skills. It is a pain, but you have to deal with it if you want to fish Chautauqua.

Last year was a very dry year with low water. This year has been wet with normal lake levels. But it has been a very windy 6 weeks up here.