The third Saturday in June is like a holiday to fishermen (and women) in and around the Adirondacks. Since November 30th of last year, we’ve had to throw back all the Black Bass we could catch, but not for much longer!
photo credit: briandjan607 Janella with a smallmouth bass via photopin (license)
June 20th marks the official opening of Bass Season in the State of New York. In season, largemouth and smallmouth bass can be kept as long as the fish meet the length requirement of 12 inches. Each licensed fisher is allowed to keep up to five bass per day.
With any kind of fishing, half of the battle is actually finding fish. You won’t catch anything where there are no fish, and sometimes you won’t catch anything where there are fish. Remember, it’s called fishing, not catching.
Bass Fishing Tips
All types of fish need three things to live: water, shelter and food. Bass can thrive in warmer waters, so the water doesn’t need to be too deep. Lakes and ponds are typically the type of water where you want to fish for bass. They also eat all kinds of stuff – mostly bait fish, but they won’t turn down frogs, aquatic insects, crayfish, worms, etc.
Water and food are pretty obvious, but many people overlook the need for shelter. Fish need to be able to get out of sight of predators to survive. Bass like to hang out near weeds, rocks, logs and things of that nature that can be found on the bottom. If you can find some lily pads, I would start there. If not, look for dark objects below the surface of the water and try to get your bait down near those. There might be a largemouth bass hanging out contemplating his next meal!
Free Fishing Weekend
If you’re not sure if you’re ready to drop $25 on a fishing license yet (out of state licenses are $50), you can test the waters during the annual Free Fishing Weekend at the end of June. Anyone is allowed to fish in New York on June 27 & 28, 2015 without a license! You never know, you might get hooked on fishing!
Take a look at the rest of the freshwater fish species that you can fish for in the Adirondacks (and where to find them) at our Sporting Guide!
