Top Quality Bass Fishing Opportunities throughout New York
State
New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos
today announced that the open (harvest) season for largemouth and
smallmouth bass, collectively known as black bass, begins June 15 and
runs through Nov. 30. For most of the state, a catch-and-release season
exists from Dec. 1 through June 14. Special fishing regulations exist for
some waters, so anglers should check the current fishing
regulations before heading out to fish.
"New York is home to
some of the world's best fishing destinations, especially for largemouth
and smallmouth bass," Commissioner
Seggos said. "I
encourage anglers of all abilities to get outside and explore the many
special bass fishing opportunities our state has to offer."
Many New York waters
consistently rank among the best bass angling destinations in the
country. In September 2022, Bassmaster Magazine ranked the St. Lawrence
River (Thousand Islands) as the best bass 'lake' in the nation, with Lake
Erie/Upper Niagara River coming in at #8. Other New York waters that made
their list of the top 100 bass waters included Lake Champlain and Cayuga,
Oneida, and Chautauqua lakes. All of these
waters provide the opportunity to catch trophy bass, but anglers don't
have to venture far from home to catch New York's top sportfish. Both
species are widespread across the state and thrive in waters of all
sizes.
Be sure to check out
DEC's Places to Fish and Warmwater
Fishing webpages for more information on where to go bass
fishing. Bass anglers are also encouraged to check out DEC's 'Tackle Box'
feature in the HuntFishNY App, which provides anglers
one-stop shopping for waterbody-specific information on fishing
regulations, stocking, and fishing/boating access sites.
Bass can be readily caught
both from shore and by boat and there are many simple, yet effective,
techniques like wacky rigging, (PDF) that can be used to
catch them. If you're new to fishing check out the I FISH NY Beginners Guide to Fishing (PDF)
which has all the information you need to get started. There's also a
"how-to" video series on DEC's YouTube channel.
DEC's Bureau of Fisheries
recognizes catches of big sportfish, including state records, through
the Angler Achievement Awards program.
Largemouth bass 20 inches and over and smallmouth bass 18 inches and over
qualify for awards. Last year, 79 largemouth bass and smallmouth bass
qualified for the Catch and Release Category, with the longest measuring
22.5 inches. If anglers catch a big bass this year, please advise DEC.
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