hey muskie guys.....................

http://www.myoutdoortv.com/fishing/the-next-bite/pymatuning-reservoir-muskies

chris was an old neighbor of mine. what a muskie fanatic.

Pete's is one of the few fishing shows that I like on TV....the guys are down to earth and theres no BS or plastering of ads and endorsements. We will see how long it lasts....I used to like In Fisherman too.

Muskies, Muskies, Muskies!!!! Just the sound of that word causes the pulse to quicken. I will be spooling a few reels with some heavier line and with some luck use them to drag a few larger plugs and/or suckers around in an attempt to hook one of those toothy critters.

50-65 pound braid 10 inch lures, it seems unethical to most anglers. hooking a fish is only a bonus

My biggest was a 47, stinkhole Oct 23rd I believe on a firetiger muskie jerk, nothing else like it. Long hours between fish but when you hook up you soon realize why you fish for them

I met Chris a few times back in the day....seemed like a pretty good guy Rap.

Man, I wish they'd open that season up sooner on Chautauqua Bob. With the muskie population thriving and the practice of C&R in recent years, I think they could change the late season opener to beginning of June at least....I'd love to hit it in May and early June for sure. I remember the days when we would travel to Pigeon for the Ont. opening weekend (first weekend in June), fish there for two weeks then hit Chautauqua's opener on our way back home. Those, of course, were the single days when fishing 3 to 4 days a week for muskies was common hat for me. Now, I'm lucky to get 2 or 3 trips in a month during the summer/fall months. One thing that is nice is that all those years of experimentation allows me to narrow down my trips to higher percentage spots where I suppose I'd waist less time, but it doesn't always work out that way either of course...LOL

Lastly...muskies, surprisingly, are not that great a fighting fish. Their first initial strike and first few runs are fierce, of course, but they peter out rather quickly for such a large and mean looking missile. For me, its always been the mystique of figuring them out or trying to catch them on any sort of consistant basis. I could probably think of at least a half dozen freshwater fish that fight harder pound for pound. Smallmouth, Wiper, Fall Steel just to name a few. Theres just something about muskies, the hunt and all the comeradery that is surrounded by the sport thats addicting. Proudly holding that fish after bringing it hand and then watching it slowly slither away like a snake into the depths as it is being released to fight another day. Man, I'm ready to hook 'em down....cabin fever is getting the best of me and I NEED to get out! Lets go fishing!!!

yea nice video and i am sure we could all catch muskies like that if we could also fish the nursery waters.  that is the same thing babe winkleman did 15 yrs ago for the walleye

i do know the lake and i find it funny that on two very nice looking days i did not see one other boat out on the water. 

Some opinionated comments on muskies based on 40 yrs fishing Chautauqua and northwestern PA: Paul, they (DEC) could and should open the season at Chautauqua earlier. June 1st or even May 15th wouldn't hurt a thing. Since about 1982 red spot disease has been a big problem here and has done more harm than fishing pressure ever could to this fishery, not so much for numbers as size of the fish. Fish over 48" here are scarce. The muskie pressure at Chautauqua now is a lot lighter than it was during the late 60's and '70's yet large fish seem to be harder to come by. I blame this on red spot disease. Fishing pressure is not a factor IMO with almost all fish now caught/released. A muskie fisherman shouldn't have to catch 300 or so fish to catch one over 48". That's about what the average is now at Chautauqua. I do appreciate living on Chautauqua and the muskie fishing, even though it's not a big fish lake. Just wish Bemus Pt. was on St. Clair instead of Chautauqua.

As far as muskie fighting ability goes, they are sluggish compaired to many other game fish. What they lack in stamina they make up for in speed. They are lighting quick, strike faster and harder than any other north american game fish and often will jump, often spectaculary. Back when I casted a lot, have had them jump into the boat, buouce off the gunnels, and even had one jump over the bow of the boat.

My casting days are over, except when Barry (swinger) comes here to fish. I miss the excitement, the follows, boat side and figure 8 strikes, blowups on surface plugs, etc, etc. Now I'm content to troll. The hr/fish average is better and on the water is a nice place to be, sipping on a cocktail waiting for a reel to start ziiinging, especially in the summer time.

I would prefer a 40 inch pike over a 40 inch muskie however, theres something about pike that meets the eye. Plus some guys like to to refer to it as "pike fever"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIzFLt65eHo

ORIGINAL: ShutUpNFish
Bob, someday I'd like to sit and talk with you about muskie fishing, chautauqua and the changes you've seen over the years. And I'd also like to share my experiences with the fishery and whats been successful for me up there over the years. Barry and I have already been planning a trip to Chautauqua this summer and I'm looking forward to that. Would love to meet you.

As Barry knows, you are welcome to stay at my place. Bob usually stays too, so you can have your talk before the pajama party. Bob could run you around in my boat which is a little bigger. he would just as soon keep the boat positioned on the weed line, sip a cold one and watch you guys cast.

Things sure have changed up there with most of the fish being released now. (bonus)
Back in the 70's my buddies dad was a guide up there and they killed every musky they put a hook in. Remember the old Musky bats they used to carry.

Do you fellas ever target them in the deep water ??
I have picked up muskies trolling in over 30' of water for eyes more than once. Thought I had the 30" eye on till it showed itself.

Having a big musky come up and smack a topwater bait has to be one of the most exciting takes in fishing...

ORIGINAL: bingsba

Do you fellas ever target them in the deep water ??

Yes, suspended over deep water more so than on or near the bottom. 25'+ water, lures running 10 to 20' deep. Upper Chautauqua, mid summer thru early fall. A good rule of thumb is you want your lures running approx. half way down or slightly shallower. I like to run one lure 10 to 12' deep and the other 18 to 20' deep. The shallower running lure often, usually produces best, even over the deepest water in the lake.

Paul, I know Wileys are very good and have a large following of guys that swear by them. I have never really tried them. The one in your pic, color wise, I really like. Last spring I bought 7 6" jointed Lokes from "Condender", Muskies first. Did very well with them, also did well with 6" jointed Ziggies. As for colors, perch, walleye, $9 bass, ocean perch, and Ziggies natural perch and Ziggies Kenny carp. I really like the jointed Lokes and Ziggies because they run erratic, wander, even at slower speeds. Ordered some 6" straight Ziggies to try this fall. Couple others I'm intrested in trying are jointed Talonz slashers and Muskie Train MX's.

For years trolled Rapala J-13's and super shad raps and they both fished well. Changed out the hooks on the J-13 to a 3/0 belly double and 2/0 tail treble. Best year I ever had was '93, almost all fish on J-13's including a 52" and a couple 48's.