The open season for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, collectively known as black bass, begins today, June 15 and extends through November 30. Not only are there plentiful waters to fish for them, but many provide outstanding opportunities to catch trophies. There’s a reason why New York draws national-level bass fishing tournaments every year.

Special fishing regulations exist for some waters, so be sure to check the current fishing regulations before heading out to fish.

If you’re interested in taking that next step and going “beyond the bobber,” give bass fishing a try! A spincasting (push-button) or medium action spinning rod rigged with a soft stick bait “wacky-style,” (PDF) is very popular and can be pretty effective in catching both species. It’s great for kids too because fishing the wacky rig really just involves casting it out, letting it sink to the bottom, and reeling it in with a twitch-pause action. Most times, bass will strike on the drop. Some other popular lures include crank baits, spinner baits, and tube jigs.

Our website is a great source of information for learning how to get started in fishing and where to go. Some helpful links are included below:

Fishing the Wacky Rig (PDF)
Beginning Fishing Information
Where to Go Fishing
Freshwater Fishing Regulations

Photo at top: NYS DEC photo.