Oneida Lake lies north of Syracuse off I-81 at exits 30, 31 and 32, with routes 39 and 41 and local roads surrounding the lake. Public launches are at Oneida Shores County Park, with DEC facilities at Briggs Bay and Godfrey Point.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER
The Susquehanna River gets no respect from the fishing fraternity except for a few bass anglers who got wind of a DEC report a few years ago. Fisheries experts claim an average smallmouth catch rate of 1.5 per hour, with some fish taping 24 inches! Hellgrammites and crayfish are effective baits, but may be used only during the regular season. Float-fishers using small boats or canoes report excellent fishing with spinnerbaits and floating stick baits.

The river flows south from Otsego Lake into Pennsylvania, and then loops back north before leaving the state. The DEC reports good bass fishing anywhere south of Oneonta, and best floating stretches begin downstream from Sidney.

State Route 17 and I-88 border the river. There are 16 launch sites, ranging from cartop to small ramps, on the 86 miles of river through Chenango, Broome and Tioga counties. For the free guide, Fishing the Susquehanna, call the Cortland DEC office at (607) 753-3095.

EASTERN REGION
Lake Champlain
Similar to some other top-quality bass fisheries, Lake Champlain is two lakes in one. Its wide northern portion is deep and crystal-clear, with plenty of shoreline rock structure, ideal habitat for the hefty smallies that have made the lake famous. The narrow southern portion is shallow and weedy, with a silt bottom -- classic largemouth water.

Together, they comprise a 120-mile bass factory, attracting anglers from all over the Northeast.

There is great fishing throughout the lake, but many bass experts favor the Plattsburgh area north to the Canadian border. The islands here are smallmouth magnets. Several rivers empty into this region, and along waterfronts, some manmade structure is especially productive. A new public launch was recently installed at Plattsburgh.

New York-licensed anglers may fish the Vermont side -- adhering to their regulations -- except for three bays that are off-limits: Malletts, Missisquoi and the Inland Sea.

Lake Champlain lies east of I-87 with villages, marinas and public ramps situated along routes 9, 22 and some local roads.

Mohawk River
Motorists on I-90 travel the historic Mohawk Valley for many miles, yet rarely will they see an angler on this, the state’s most underfished bass hotspot. The Mohawk River is primarily a true smallmouth fishery from Herkimer to Albany.

There are a few good shore-fishing places, including below the Barge Canal dams. But launch ramps are not plentiful, and you’ll need a boat to fish the river efficiently.

The dams can be a nuisance for boaters. But anglers who prevail are rewarded with many miles of great bass fishing, along with an occasional catch of walleyes. Riffles, dropoffs and the deeper runs are usually most productive, along with the plunge pools below dams, where live bait and artificials are effective.

A recommended stretch of the Mohawk is the 11-mile run between locks 7 and 8 in the Capital District. Two public launches may be found on the south side of the river at the end of Lock 7 Road, and at Freeman’s Bridge.