Photo by Michael Skinner

Empire State bass fishermen spend nearly 7 million days a year on the water, making bass fishing the most popular angling sport in New York by a wide margin. And bass will continue to dominate, as new regulations permitting year-round fishing in most lakes and streams kick off a monumental new era -- the greatest change in bass-management policy in over 50 years.

The traditional open season remains the same: from the third Saturday in June (the 16th, this year) through Nov. 30, with a 12-inch minimum length and daily limit of five.

During the rest of the year, catch-and-immediate-release bass fishing using artificial lures is now permitted in the great majority of lakes and streams.

This dramatic change in bass management has been studied for about 10 years, according to Doug Stang, fisheries bureau chief for the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

“Bass fishing had been really good for many years with the restrictive open season,” he stated. “And there didn’t seem to be any reason to change what was working.

“But anglers were changing, with many fishing exclusively for particular species, and our most popular species, including muskies, had the shortest open seasons. We began receiving requests for longer bass seasons, and that started the process.”

Fishing for bass during the spawning season is controversial, presenting hurdles for fishermen and biologists alike, Stang explained. The big question with no easy answer was: What is the impact on bass populations of removing some males from guarding eggs and fry, for even a couple of minutes?

And if there is an impact, will it improve or diminish the recreational and economic benefits of fishing?

In its studies, the DEC learned that bass deposit eggs when the water is 61 to 65 degrees, although they start building nests earlier. Male bass guard the eggs for a few days until they hatch, and the fry for about a week until they’ve absorbed their egg sacs. By checking water temperatures, it was discovered that 50 percent of New York’s waters have males guarding eggs and fry in mid-June, the start of open seasons.

Records from several lakes revealed no correlation between the bass population following early or late springs. In other words, removing more males from nests during late springs -- when spawning is delayed -- may impact reproduction, and it probably does. But no population changes were apparent.

Water temperatures across the state’s various geographic zones are remarkably similar, so it’s not necessary to fine-tune regulations in certain regions to protect the spawning bass.

Researchers found compelling evidence of surplus production of fry and small bass in New York lakes.

The pre-season trophy smallmouth fishing permitted for many years in Lake Erie has not caused any discernible impact on the population.

Removing guarding males, even for short periods, will cause some predation of eggs and fry. This loss may be minimized, however, by quickly releasing males, since studies indicate the males will return to protecting their nests.

Voluntary catch-and-release bass fishing, a growing trend, is responsible for a generally low harvest rate across the state, which also helps minimize predation losses caused by spring fishing.

Other states with smallmouth and largemouth populations have conducted similar studies and have eased restrictions on bass fishing.