Open Wide! New York Bass Season Starts Saturday

Get your fishing poles and tackle ready! Saturday is a big day as New York's bass season opens. The celebrated day by fisherman around the Empire State opens each year on the third Saturday in June.

According to a 2021 report in thedailystar.com, freshwater fishing generates nearly $2 billion of revenue each year in New York. Bass fishing is a large part of that money spent. Fisherman purchased 1.28 million New York State fishing licenses in 2020, which the report said was an increase of nearly 10 percent from 2019.

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The dailystar.com said that Bassmaster Magazine's 2020 list of the 'Best Bass Lakes of the Decade' featured four New York State lakes of the top 25. That put Empire State lake fishing on the list more than any other state except Texas, which also has four. New York's top fishing spots of the decade were Lake Erie at #3, Lake Champlain at #11, the Thousand Islands area of the St. Lawrence River at #12, and Oneida Lake rolling in #18.

Fishery managers have been simplifying fishing regulations by removing special regulations where they are no longer necessary. Consistent regulations from one water body to another improves fishing accessibility. Black bass have a minimum size limit of 12-inches statewide.

Enjoy your summer of fishing! Bass season runs until November 30th. Catch-and-release season runs for most of the state from Dec. 1, through the Friday preceding the third Saturday in June.