Lake Ronkonkoma
A 230-acre lake surrounded by suburbia wouldn’t be the first choice of most bass fishermen. But Long Island’s largest lake has a long history of largemouth fishing, despite the heavy pressure it receives. Local anglers give the lake high marks and have helped maintain Ronkonkoma’s bass tradition, promoting catch-and-release fishing and building habitat with weighted Christmas trees.

Special regulations also aid the bass population. The minimum size is 15 inches during the regular season, and catch-and-release fishing ends on March 15.

Except for a deep hole near the south shore, most water in this saucer-shaped lake ranges between 10 and 20 feet. Spinnerbaits, plastic worms and tubes are popular in spring, and topwater lures produce plenty of excitement.

Plan on using a canoe or cartop boat to fish Ronkonkoma, where only electric motors are permitted. On Victory Drive on the west shore, a DEC launch is available.

Ronkonkoma lies north of Route 495. Lakeshore Road and Rosevale Avenue surround the lake.

NORTHERN REGION
St. Lawrence River
The great St. Lawrence bass fishery, throughout the Thousand Islands from Cape Vincent to Chippewa Bay, remains the top destination in the North Country for bass fanatics. The river’s unending shorelines, rocky shoals, rubble bars and expanding weedlines -- courtesy of zebra mussels and clearer water -- all combine to create classic bass habitat.

All the standard bassing lures work here, especially jigs, spinnerbaits and sinking crankbaits. Drifting live shiners over rocky humps is also deadly.

The international boundary runs down the middle of the river, and a Canadian license is required on the Ontario side of the line.

Access to the St. Lawrence is off I-81 via routes 12 and 12A. Public launches are provided at several state parks, along with marinas at Clayton and Alexandria Bay.

For more information on and public access sites and bass fishing, log on to www.dec.state.ny.us or call these DEC’s regional offices: Stony Brook at (631) 444-0280, New Paltz at (845) 256-3161, Stamford at (607) 652-7366, Warrensburg at (518) 623-1200, Watertown at (315) 785-2261, Cortland at (607) 753-3095, Avon at (585) 226-2466 or Allegany at (716) 372-0645.

Find more about New York fishing and hunting at: NewYorkGameandFish.com