Muskie have been stocked consistently in Chautauqua Lake for many years and because of that, the lake offers some very good muskie fishing. This lake has good numbers of muskie with some big fish too. It does get plenty of pressure, so you may have to put your work in to catch one of these fish, but there are plenty of muskie in Chautauqua Lake.
Fish the Drop-offs
The northern section of the lake is where the deepest water is located. This is the part of the lake where you will usually find more walleye and muskie. The deeper water drop-offs are productive from summer through fall. Fish these drop-offs and use your electronics because you can usually spot muskie pretty easily since they are so big.
Fish the Points
There are several points on this lake and muskie will often be found patrolling the drop-offs around these points from spring through fall. The points are obvious fishing spots, so don’t plan on having these areas all to yourself, especially on the weekends.
Fish the Weed Edges
The weed edges hold all types of fish on Chautauqua Lake and muskie will be roaming the weed edges too. The deeper weed edges tend to be more productive, but anglers will find some muskie cruising the shallower weeds early in the year.
Fish for Suspended Muskie
Muskie will often suspend out over deeper water and plenty of anglers will target these offshore fish. The northern section of this lake is where the deepest water is located and plenty of muskie will roam this part of the lake all summer and fall. To cover more water, trolling is usually the most productive way to target these fish. Use your electronics and you should find bait fish plus some big markings too. These bigger markings will usually be muskie, so troll through these areas multiple times to see if you can trigger a bite.
