June 8, igoi.] 
FORKST AND STREAivi. 
4413 
Lake Chautauqua, 
Lake Chautauqua lies in the northwestern corner of 
New York State, about seven miles from Lake Erie as 
the crow flics. The length of the lake is about 20 m^les 
and breadth from a half mile at Bemus Point to 3 and 
3% miles at its broadest parts. As will be seen by 
the accompanying birdseye view map, it has a very beau- 
Lif-ul and artistic shore line, full of bold points and head- 
lands, so that whichever way the angler turns a new 
and pleasing panorama of scenic beauty opens up before 
him. High up among the hills, beyond the crest of 
a great ridge which divides it from Lake Erie, Chau- 
tauqua lies like an amphitheater among the rolling hills 
surrounding it. The elevation of Lake Chautauqua is 
about 1,400 feet above the level of the sea and 700 feet 
above the surface of Lal<e Erie, At this altitude the 
angler during the hottest season of the year finds the 
air cool, pure and bracing, which during the summer 
months is a perfect bliss to title worn-out, overworked, 
and parched city man. 
As a fishing ground Lake Chautauqua is one of the 
most celebrated muscallonge waters of America. This 
is due to two facts: First, the lake is most" admirably 
adapted to their welfare and growth. Second, it is annu- 
ally stocked with millions of young fish from the hatch- 
ery on its shores. Muscallonge are found all over the 
lake, but the lower half, from Long Point down to the 
outlet, is by far the best ground to fish. It is so for 
various reasons. The fish are more plentiful there than 
in the upper half: they average a larger size. The lower 
half is better provided with hotels, boats, guides, bait, 
etc. The lower end is more easily reached by railroad 
from all principal points. 
Chautauqua is a shallow lake and does not average 
more than fifteen feet. There are one or two deep holes 
in it. The principal one is just off Bemus Point. The 
bottom of the lake is thickly covered with weeds, which 
during the summer rise to the surface in large clumps. 
if mounted on a single hook they are better than on a 
treble hook, as they do not catch weeds so readily and 
hold a fish just as well. There is a little piece of clear 
water close to shore inside of Maple Pond. The water is 
about 12 feet deep. There are always plenty of muscal- 
longe hiding up under the alders by this water; in fact, 
their tails must be sticking close to the bank. 
We shall now leave Sherman's Bay and round Maple 
Point. About 300 yards out from the point is always a 
good spot for a big fellow. The fishing continues good 
all through Ashville Bay; fish from close to the weeds 
to 1,000 feet out from them. It takes half a dozen turns 
over this water to properly cover it. _ Ashville Bay is 
bounded on the north by a little point called Ely's Point ; 
beyond Ely's Point up to Cheeney's Point is Ely's Bay. 
Close along shore in Ely's Bay are several good big 
clumps of lilypads, very much favored by black bass, 
and quite often a good sized muscallonge is here. Now 
we come to what we consider to be the very best stretch 
of muscallonge water in Chautauqua. It runs along the 
shore from Cheeney's Point up to Bemus Point. The 
ground lies from 100 to 3,000 feet out. On reaching 
Cheeney's Point we alwayS put on No. 6 or No. 8 spoons, 
as this bit of water is pretty clear of long weeds. The 
possibilities here are always great. You may strike any- 
thing from 4 to 40 pounds, and one just as likely as the 
other. It is alwaj's worth while to put in half a day on 
this stretch of water. We believe more fish can be taken 
out of it than from any other similar stretch of water in 
the lake. Off Bemus Point is the deep hole; get on No. 
8 spoons and sufficient line out to get it near the bot- 
tom. Your chances in this hole are to take one of the 
great-grandfathers of 70 or 75 pounds. They are here, 
and have been taken from this hole of the above sizes. 
It will be seen from the foregoing that the fisherman 
can start from the Kent House dock and come up to 
Bemus Point, nearly seven miles, without once getting 
off Ai muscallonge grounds. It is one continuous string 
of weed beds all the way; and it is safe to say that the 
Lakewood, on Chautauqua Lake, can be reached from 
all quarters. The main line of the Erie reaches it from 
New York, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburg and Chi- 
cago. Buffalo is only a few hours' ride over one of the 
branches of the Erie. 
The Kent and Waldemere hotels give special rates to 
anglers during the early part of the fishing season, and 
again during the fall. We have stopped there many_ a 
time, and always regretted leaving one of the most genial 
and courteous hosts that is to be found by those seeking 
pleasure and sport. J. Churchward. 
Mbw York. 
Another Cabin by the Lake. 
On the shores of South Watuppa Lake, which lies a 
short distance west of Fall River, Mass., are eighteen 
camps, where from the middle of April until late fall 
lovers of fishing, boating, sailing and baUiing congregate 
and store up energy for their Avinter's work in the city. 
The lake is about three and one-half miles long by half a 
mile wide, and the shores are for the most part heavily 
wooded. There is good white and yellow perch, pickerel 
and black bass fishing. The bass are gamy and afford 
one a great deal of sport. 
Commodore Wm. Walker is the most popular man on 
the lake, and his camp has the finest location. From the 
veranda on the second story of his shanty (as he calls it) 
one gets a sweep of the whole lake to the north. On the 
hill top is seen Fall River, with its church spires and 
factory chimneys; across on the opposite shore stands an 
old weather-beaten farmhouse, and in the cleared space 
the cows are seen, giving one a feeling of company and at 
the same time one has sense of security from intrusion. 
In the heat of the day to lie in a hammock at the water's 
edge with a pipe and a book makes one feel that life is 
worth living after all. It is strange the men one finds 
here — ardent fishermen and sincere loA^ers of nature, who 
know by name all the birds, can call by name every rope 
Among these clumps of weeds are the best spots for 
muscallonge. In our map we have marked the fishing 
grounds thus: Muscallonge ; Bass x x x. 
Chautauqua is an exceptionally good bass water as well 
as muscallonge. Owing to the shallowness of the water 
and length of the weeds on the bottom the lightest of 
rigs ai"e necessary; also short lines. We use for trolling 
this water Skinner's No. 4^ and No. 6 spoons, with a 
No. 8 occasionally on dark, dull days, but, as a rule, small 
spoons double discount the large ones. In the issue of 
Forest and Stream of Aug. 11, 1900, we gave cuts and 
details of how to mount spoons for Chautauqua. 
For bass fishing we either use live bait or troll with 
the Delaware-belle. 
We always make Lakewood our headquarters when 
fishing Lake Chautauqua. 
With these notes in front of us and the map we will 
now start and make a tour of the best fishing grounds 
in the lower end of the lake, commencing at the Kent 
House dock. Almost alongside of this dock a drain 
runs into the lake. Around the mouth of this drain is 
a very favorite spot for bass. Bass fishing continues good 
all along the shore up to the entrance of Sherman's Bay. 
Directly you move out a little distance from this shore 
you are on good muscallonge ground. 
From the Waldemere Point a large reef or rather 
series of reefs run up into Ashville Bay in the direction 
of Maple or Ashville Point, sometimes called one name, 
sometimes called the other. All around and over this 
reef is the very best of bass fishing; there is no better 
in the lake. Guides say this reef is 1,000 feet long, but 
after going over it hundreds of times we should say it 
is nearer 2,000 feet. The end can always be located by 
a set buoy there. On the inside of this reef the ground 
is bouldery and weedy, and is good bass ground. Mus- 
callonge also work up into it. We have taken many a 
little fellow of 6 and 8 pounds out of the deepest holes 
here; 
Around the point of the reef is a very favorite spot for 
muscallonge. We never like to leave it without getting 
one or two, and generally succeed if we stick to the 
spot any length of time. Many a fine fellow of 25 and 
30 pounds has been taken from the point of the reef 
From the point of the reef to Maple or Ashville Point, a 
distance of a mile and a half, is first-class muscallonge 
water. It is a very weedy piece of ground, and by about 
August the' weeds grow to such an extent that 
there are merely channels between them, but they swarm 
Witll rniiscallonge. Jhis is the ^ivfic for 4^ spognp, and, 
angler will not pass a single clump of weeds that does 
not contain one or more of these fresh water tigers, wait- 
ing to rush out on some unsuspecting prey, or to try 
conclusions with some ambitious angler. 
We will now crop the lake at Bemus Point and take 
the eastern shore home. We first strike Arnold's Bay. 
The shores are gravelly, and for about 100 yards out 
are good bass grounds; then weeds are struck, and also 
muscallonge. From Arnold's Bay we run along close 
to shore over Ai bass grounds until we get down to 
Eellevue Bay. From the northeast corner of this bay 
a reef runs out about 3 to 500 feet. It is a fine piece of 
bass grounds. Skirting the mouth of Bellevue Bay the 
muscaUonge grounds commence again. Last season 
one seldom went over this stretch without getting one, 
but, as a rule, they , run small in this part of the lake, 
averaging from 3 to 10 pounds. 
From Bellevue Bay all the way down to Greenhurst 
the muscallonge fishing is good. About one-half mile 
out into the lake from Griffith's dock, in a direct line for 
the Waldemere P^oint, are three or four large, thick 
clumps of weeds. Troll around these weeds carefully 
three or four times, then shorten your lines a little and 
dash over them as fast as the guide can row. There are 
usually some old bouncers of 35 and 40 pounds in these 
weeds, and they have got a knack of rushing for the 
spoon directly it strikes a weed, when you are dashing 
over the bed. If one of our readers should ever have 
this experience he will find his fun commences when a 
40-pounder strikes his spoon in the weeds. He will have 
a regular circus. The old fellow will dive down and run 
in and through the weeds in all directions. You can't 
hold him; you have to give him line, and all the time 
he is gathering up more weeds. We have seen our line 
apparently tied tight to the bottom under the weed bed 
and the fish jumping like mad 100 feet out. The trick 
is to get that fish; but you must first get rid of the weeds, 
which is no easy matter. On very bright days we always 
cork up our lines; that is, we spHt a beer bottle cork 
and put it on the line 15 or 30 feet from the spoon. We 
can then let out another 20 feet without dragging the 
weeds. There are some good muscallonge grounds be- 
low the Kent House, but we have never had the time to 
thoroughly explore them in such a manner that we can 
intelligently describe them. We think on the whole that 
the tipper part of the lake, from Bemus and Long Point 
to Mayville, is generally better bass ground than the 
lower end. The shores on both side.? are g'enerally rocky 
an4 gravelly, ■ 
on a sailing craft, and if they can find a listener will spin 
endless fishing yarns and tales of adventure—men who 
at their calling in the city appear as though their one 
thought in life was their business. 
In the spring of the year wildfowl rest here on their 
way northward, and later iti the season the gulls come 
occasionally from the bay for a taste of fresh water. To 
don a suit of old clothes, hoist the sail and pass a pleasant 
day at some camp down the lake is a pleasure which is 
enjoyed each year by an increasing number. However hot 
m the city, it is always cool here, and soothed by the 
gentle lapping of the water, you are sure to get a refresh- 
ing night's rest. But the lake has also its stern side, and 
in a storm can raise a sea which requires skillful sailing 
on the part of those unfortunate enough to be caught out. 
The waters of the lake have often reminded me of the 
emotions of mankind; sometimes it is smooth and pleas- 
ant, and one starts out with a sense of good times to 
come, when a change in the wind and other signs show 
that a storm is brewing; soon the waters begin to toss; 
they are getting angry and are looking for some victim 
upon whom to wreak their spite. A run is made for^the 
nearest shelter, and from this vantage ground we see the 
lake work itself up into a pitch of great fury. The waters 
hiss and bubble and great waves roll shoreward and break 
impotently at our feet. The storm over, the waters gradu- 
ally calm down, the sun shines again, the birds sing in 
the woods, and we wonder that the smooth surface, dis- 
turbed by only a few ripples caused by a pleasant southerly 
breeze, can be the same waters that a short while since 
were ready to deprive us of our property — yea, even life 
if they were able. Weequash. 
Fall River, Mass., May 24. 
Flies for Pickerel. 
PouGHKEEPSiE, N. Y., June i. —Editor Forest and 
Stream : Your correspondent Muskadosa, of West Rox- 
l3ury, asks whether pickerel can be taken with a fly, and 
if so what flies are best. 
I do not know whether they can bfe taken throughout 
the entire season or not, but in the fore part of the sea- 
son—say in the latter part of May or beginning of June— I 
have had them rise quite freely to a red or red and white 
bass fly, and other anglers have told me that they have 
had the same experience, J. S. Van Cleef. 
See in advertising columns list of contents of Woodcraft 
}h§mv,^ Sows rescjipg there. , ' ' -^"^ail: 
