Chautauqua muskys and Honeoye Falls ten pointers

Dawn on Chautauqua Lake

The fall season got underway with a bang this past weekend.  It all started when my Uncle, and childhood fishing/hunting mentor, Cam called me up last minute to see if I could take his son's place on musky charter.  I am always up for musky fishing, but when he said we were going with acclaimed Chautauqua Lake fisherman Mike Sperry, I was definitely catching that boat!

We met Mike at 7:00 AM at the Bemus Point boat launch.  The mist was heavy on the water, and the sun was just beginning to illuminate the white mist blowing across the surface of the lake.  It was a classic fall morning with the air temperature about 45 degrees and sounds of migrating ducks/geese in the air.

Uncle Cam with a beauty

Caught on a figure 8

It had been about 7-8 years when I first met Mike at a musky show in Butler, PA.  He was the President of the Chautauqua Lake Musky Hunters Club and signed me up as a member.  Mike is relatively new to the charter captain business, but he is an old pro at catching muskys on Chautauqua Lake.  With a 5-7 SWS wind, and 60 degree water temperature we fished primarily in the center of the lake.

Although we only fished for four hours, I felt like I had experienced a week long vacation.  We caught 2 muskys and had 2 follows, which was fantastic....as every musky fisherman knows, this is a LOT of activity for 4 hours of fishing.  In addition, Mike is so knowledgeable about musky fishing that it is almost like putting on a clinic when you go fishing with him.

At the same time I am fishing for muskys, my Blackberry was burning up.  My son Jake and close friend JP were sending me photos from the trailcams JP placed on a new piece of hunting property that we are leasing together.

One of 25 different bucks on the cam

I just love the fall!