Since the 1960s, state biologists have conducted an Angler Diary Cooperator Program for Cayuga, Owasco, Skaneateles and Otisco lakes. The data supplied by volunteers who log their catches in state-supplied diaries has been used to monitor trends in each lake's fish populations.

"Right now we could use a few more cooperators," Bishop said. Readers may contact him at (607) 753-3095, the Region 7 office in Cortland, if they're willing to take part.

Angler diaries have been extremely useful to biologists who oversee the western Finger Lakes, too, but Webb Pearsall, DEC Region 8 fisheries manager, has also relied on other methods to evaluate the experimental spring catch-and-release season for bass that has been in effect in Conesus, Hemlock, Canadice, Honeoye, Canandaigua, Keuka and Seneca lakes since 2001.

"It seems to be working out pretty well so far," Pearsall said. "Because bass reproduction is naturally so variable, we felt it would take longer than just four or five years to judge the biological affects of a spring catch-and-release season, so we decided to concentrate, at least for now, on the sociological aspects of the change."

To determine how anglers felt about spring bass fishing, and to what extent they would take advantage of the opportunity, Region 8 technicians put postcard surveys on windshields at angler parking lots and observed offshore fishermen through binoculars to determine whether they were targeting bass or other species. The work focused on Conesus and Honeoye lakes, which are fished heavily for largemouths throughout the bass season.

Among other things, researchers found that about three-fourths of surveyed anglers favored the spring season.

Conesus and Honeoye lakes are two of the best bass fisheries in central-western New York, in Pearsall's view. He likes the other Finger Lakes nearly as well, but singles out the bass resource in Lake Ontario and its embayments as "world-class."

Bishop echoed Pearsall's sentiments about Lake Ontario, and added a few honeyhole nominations of his own.

"You have to start with Oneida Lake for both largemouths and smallmouths," Bishop said. "I'd add the north end of Cayuga Lake for largemouths and both Otisco Lake and Skaneateles Lake for some outstanding smallmouth fishing."

WESTERN REGION
Paul McKeown, the DEC Region 9 fisheries manager, oversees a couple of lakes that are on every well-traveled bass angler's radar, as well as some unsung gems.

In the former category are Lake Erie, where smallmouths that were already monsters are now bulking up on gobies; Chautauqua Lake, which has a couple of strong year-classes of juvenile bronzebacks approaching adulthood; and the lower Niagara River, whose powerful currents intimidate many bass anglers.

As for the lower Niagara, McKeown wishes more bass anglers would give it a go.

"The river below the falls is actually underfished for warmwater species," McKeown said. "We did some netting there recently, and it has lots of nice bass, both largemouths and smallmouths, including many up to 4 pounds. Many anglers don't realize that those bass can be caught on the New York side of the river, even in fairly small boats."

Overlooked bass hotspots in the region include two little lakes in Allegany State Park that are home to some surprisingly large fish.

"Quaker Lake and Red House Lake both have real nice numbers of bass, and they're definitely underfished," McKeown said. "We've gotten reports of largemouths 5 pounds and up being caught in those lakes."

Another small body of water, Cassadaga Lake in Chautauqua County, appears to be benefiting from a slot limit put in place a couple of years ago. Although Cassadaga anglers may creel bass measuring less than 12 or more than 15 inches, McKeown said most fishermen are releasing anything under 15 inches. As a result, the lake has noticeably more 2-pounders than it used to.

For more information on New York bass fishing, readers may contact the DEC Bureau of Fisheries in Albany, at (518) 402-8920.

Anglers needing brochures on lodging and other amenities near the fishing spots mentioned in this article should dial the I LOVE NY Tourism office at (800) CALL NYS.