Come fall in love with New York bassin’

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<i>By Mark Hicks</i><br><br> It’s easy to understand why people who love to fish love New York. The Empire State boasts some of the top lakes in the country for smallmouth and largemouth bass. Add to this excellent fishing for trout, salmon, walleye, trophy muskellunge and more.
By Mark Hicks
It’s easy to understand why people who love to fish love New York. The Empire State boasts some of the top lakes in the country for smallmouth and largemouth bass. Add to this excellent fishing for trout, salmon, walleye, trophy muskellunge and more.
<h4>Lake Ontario</h4> Bass anglers will surely want to sample the superb smallmouth and largemouth fishing on Chaumont Bay at the eastern end of Lake Ontario. Ply the bay’s grassbeds and rocky bottoms with spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, topwater plugs and soft plastic offerings, and you won’t lack for fast action. The lake also provides outstanding fishing for walleye and other warm water fish species in numerous bays and inshore areas in NY.
Lake Ontario
Bass anglers will surely want to sample the superb smallmouth and largemouth fishing on Chaumont Bay at the eastern end of Lake Ontario. Ply the bay’s grassbeds and rocky bottoms with spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, topwater plugs and soft plastic offerings, and you won’t lack for fast action. The lake also provides outstanding fishing for walleye and other warm water fish species in numerous bays and inshore areas in NY.
The Lower Niagara River below Niagara Falls produces excellent fishing for Chinook salmon, steelhead and walleye. Smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, muskellunge, lake trout and brown trout also swim in these waters. The western end of Lake Ontario off Niagara and Orleans Counties presents opportunities to enjoy world-class fishing for lake trout, brown trout and steelhead, plus coho, Chinook and Atlantic salmon.
The Lower Niagara River below Niagara Falls produces excellent fishing for Chinook salmon, steelhead and walleye. Smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, muskellunge, lake trout and brown trout also swim in these waters. The western end of Lake Ontario off Niagara and Orleans Counties presents opportunities to enjoy world-class fishing for lake trout, brown trout and steelhead, plus coho, Chinook and Atlantic salmon.
<h4>Keuka Lake</h4> Ensconced in the heart of wine country, Y-shaped Keuka Lake is in the Finger Lakes Region. Smallmouth bass are the dominant species in this 11,730-acre body of water, but it also supports largemouth bass, panfish and several species of trout. Prime areas for smallmouth include Bluff Point, Urbana and Willow points, and the waters near Keuka College, Eggleston and Marilena points.
Keuka Lake
Ensconced in the heart of wine country, Y-shaped Keuka Lake is in the Finger Lakes Region. Smallmouth bass are the dominant species in this 11,730-acre body of water, but it also supports largemouth bass, panfish and several species of trout. Prime areas for smallmouth include Bluff Point, Urbana and Willow points, and the waters near Keuka College, Eggleston and Marilena points.
Largemouth bass frequent the shallow weedbeds around Branchport and Penn Yan, as well as the southern tip of Champlain Beach and Brandy Bay.
Largemouth bass frequent the shallow weedbeds around Branchport and Penn Yan, as well as the southern tip of Champlain Beach and Brandy Bay.
<h4>Mohawk River</h4> (Albany to Amsterdam)<br><br> The Mohawk River flows into the Hudson River a few miles north of the city of Albany. The Mohawk’s lower reach, from Amsterdam to Albany, has good fishing for mainly smallmouth bass.
Mohawk River
(Albany to Amsterdam)
The Mohawk River flows into the Hudson River a few miles north of the city of Albany. The Mohawk’s lower reach, from Amsterdam to Albany, has good fishing for mainly smallmouth bass.
The best largemouth fishing takes place between Lock 7 in Niskayuna and the Crescent Dam near Waterford. There is ample boat access throughout the lower Mohawk, and a lock system allows travel up and down the river. Shore anglers may access the river almost anywhere. The Mohawk also has excellent walleye fishing.
The best largemouth fishing takes place between Lock 7 in Niskayuna and the Crescent Dam near Waterford. There is ample boat access throughout the lower Mohawk, and a lock system allows travel up and down the river. Shore anglers may access the river almost anywhere. The Mohawk also has excellent walleye fishing.
<h4>Lake George</h4> This long, narrow and deep 28,160-acre lake lies at the southeast base of the Adirondack Mountains. Its clear water teems with a wide variety of fish, including smallmouth and largemouth bass, northern pike, panfish, lake trout and landlocked salmon.
Lake George
This long, narrow and deep 28,160-acre lake lies at the southeast base of the Adirondack Mountains. Its clear water teems with a wide variety of fish, including smallmouth and largemouth bass, northern pike, panfish, lake trout and landlocked salmon.
Largemouth bass frequent shallow, weedy areas where fake frogs coax hard strikes. Smallmouth bass haunt offshore structure much of the year. They respond well to light line finesse tactics, such as drop shot fishing.
Largemouth bass frequent shallow, weedy areas where fake frogs coax hard strikes. Smallmouth bass haunt offshore structure much of the year. They respond well to light line finesse tactics, such as drop shot fishing.
<h4>Black Lake</h4> A fisheries biologist once referred to glacial Black Lake as a “fish factory” because it harbors incredible populations of largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye and panfish.
Black Lake
A fisheries biologist once referred to glacial Black Lake as a “fish factory” because it harbors incredible populations of largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye and panfish.
Situated in northern New York, Black Lake is 20 miles long and parallels the St. Lawrence River. Its ideal fish habitat is comprised of rocky points and shoals, sandbars, weedbeds and depths to 40 feet.
Situated in northern New York, Black Lake is 20 miles long and parallels the St. Lawrence River. Its ideal fish habitat is comprised of rocky points and shoals, sandbars, weedbeds and depths to 40 feet.
Anglers can also fish the St. Lawrence River, one the nation’s top smallmouth fisheries, which is but a short drive away.
Anglers can also fish the St. Lawrence River, one the nation’s top smallmouth fisheries, which is but a short drive away.
<h4>Onondaga Lake</h4> Located northwest of Syracuse, Onondaga Lake yields large numbers of largemouth and smallmouth bass, including some heavyweights. The largemouth generally stay in and around shallow vegetation throughout the year. Look for the smallmouth in deeper water. They often congregate around the mouth of Nine Mile and Onondaga creeks when gizzard shad schools form there in midsummer.
Onondaga Lake
Located northwest of Syracuse, Onondaga Lake yields large numbers of largemouth and smallmouth bass, including some heavyweights. The largemouth generally stay in and around shallow vegetation throughout the year. Look for the smallmouth in deeper water. They often congregate around the mouth of Nine Mile and Onondaga creeks when gizzard shad schools form there in midsummer.
<h4>Lake Champlain</h4> This 490-square-mile inland sea is one of the premier smallmouth bass and largemouth bass fisheries in the country. The largemouth frequent aquatic vegetation, rocky banks and boat docks in shallow water. Smallmouth bass relate to deeper submerged vegetation and the lake’s countless rocky points, humps and drop-offs.
Lake Champlain
This 490-square-mile inland sea is one of the premier smallmouth bass and largemouth bass fisheries in the country. The largemouth frequent aquatic vegetation, rocky banks and boat docks in shallow water. Smallmouth bass relate to deeper submerged vegetation and the lake’s countless rocky points, humps and drop-offs.
Many anglers launch at Plattsburgh on the upper end of the lake where smallmouth bass are more abundant. Launch at Ticonderoga 70 miles south, and you’ll find that hefty largemouth bass rule the roost in this section of the lake.
Many anglers launch at Plattsburgh on the upper end of the lake where smallmouth bass are more abundant. Launch at Ticonderoga 70 miles south, and you’ll find that hefty largemouth bass rule the roost in this section of the lake.
<h4>Oneida Lake</h4> Another of the country’s top bass fishing lakes, Oneida teems with smallmouth bass and good numbers of largemouth bass. Although the smallmouth are more abundant, bass tournaments here have been won with largemouth.
Oneida Lake
Another of the country’s top bass fishing lakes, Oneida teems with smallmouth bass and good numbers of largemouth bass. Although the smallmouth are more abundant, bass tournaments here have been won with largemouth.
The smallmouth prowl Oneida’s islands and its many underwater points and humps. They often relate to deeper weedbeds, but may also be caught from rocky offshore structures that are too deep to support aquatic vegetation. The bays and shallower weedbeds are where you’ll tangle with largemouth bass.
The smallmouth prowl Oneida’s islands and its many underwater points and humps. They often relate to deeper weedbeds, but may also be caught from rocky offshore structures that are too deep to support aquatic vegetation. The bays and shallower weedbeds are where you’ll tangle with largemouth bass.