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Photo by Forrest Fisher
Bass anglers are drawn to the picturesque Chautauqua Lake, where the black bass population thrives, making it an ideal location for bass fishing tournaments.
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Photo courtesy of Mike Joyner
Big and small bass live in Chautauqua Lake, like this 22-inch largemouth that weighed in at 7-pounds, caught on a Senko plastic worm near Warner Bar.
Photo by Forrest Fisher
Bass anglers are drawn to the picturesque Chautauqua Lake, where the black bass population thrives, making it an ideal location for bass fishing tournaments.
Earlier this week, the National Professional Fishing League made a significant announcement. They issued a new rule that Forward-Facing-Sonar will be banned from use in all their 2025 bass fishing competitions. One week before that (Aug. 28), New York State adopted new regulations to implement a new mandatory Black Bass Tournament Permit and Reporting System that will go into effect on Sept. 9 (2024) for tournaments taking place on or after Jan. 1, 2025. The requirement for black bass tournament permits will only apply to tournaments targeting largemouth bass and smallmouth bass with 10 or more participants. These regulations are a crucial step towards the sustainable management of our bass fisheries. Tournament directors can begin applying for a permit online on Sept. 9 for 2025 tournaments. DEC’s permit and reporting system will document information on the scope and scale of black bass tournaments to help biologists understand, track, and, if warranted, manage tournament-related issues to maintain the quality and popularity of New York’s black bass fisheries. It also intends to help tournament organizers and the general angling public by providing an up-to-date list and map of bass fishing tournament events across NYS. Visit https://dec.ny.gov to learn more.
Excitingly, the NYS bass fishery is thriving. This summer, on July 11, the NYSDEC certified a massive largemouth bass caught in Cayuga Lake as a new state fishing record.
The bass, weighing 12 pounds, 6 ounces, was caught by a Pennsylvania angler, Jim Britenbaugh, during a practice session before a tournament on Cayuga Lake. The fish, measuring 25 inches, was caught using a Senko worm (wacky rig) in less than 10 feet of water. Britenbaugh’s resourcefulness was truly remarkable, as he kept the state record largemouth alive in his live well during the NYSDEC weigh and measure process, releasing the mammoth bass back to the lake afterward. The potential for a new state record next year adds to the excitement. This new record largemouth is the second state record black bass caught on Cayuga Lake in the past two years. In 2022, Thomas Russell Jr. landed an 8-pound, 6-ounce smallmouth bass. Like Chautauqua Lake, Cayuga Lake has earned an exceedingly high reputation for excellent bass fishing in recent years. Several Bassmaster Elite-Level tournaments have been held at Cayuga Lake, along with a number of Bassmaster regional and local club competitions.
Cayuga Lake is 38 miles long and 1.75 miles wide and is one of the deepest Finger Lake at 435 feet. The bass fishing there is along each of the shallower east and west shorelines and both the north and south ends. Chautauqua Lake is 18 miles long and 2.0 miles wide and divided into the north (deep end) and south basin (shallow end). The deepest water in Chautauqua Lake is 75 feet near Mission Meadows.
Gotta love the NY outdoors.
Photo courtesy of Mike Joyner
Big and small bass live in Chautauqua Lake, like this 22-inch largemouth that weighed in at 7-pounds, caught on a Senko plastic worm near Warner Bar.
Outdoor Calendar:
Sept. 7-8: NYS Hunter-Safety course for Bowhunting (Sep. 7) and Firearms (Sept. 8), West Falls Conservation, 55 Bridge St., West Falls; Register online: https://register-ed.com. Must register separately for Bowhunter and/or Hunter Education (firearms).
Sept. 14-22: NYS Early Antlerless 2024 Deer Season (firearms allowed), check specific Wildlife Management Units (WMUs).
Sept. 14: 4th Annual Chautauqua Lake Falleye Classic, Prendergast Point Boat Launch, 6AM-2PM. Open to all. Register on site.
Sept. 15: Deadline for waterfowl hunting applications to Oak Orchard/Tonawanda WMAs. Visit NYSDEC online.
Sept. 21-22: WNY Walleye Association Lake Erie Walleye Tournament, Contact Ron Kucinski: 716-545-5925, or email: kucinski1293@gmail.com.
Sept. 28: National Hunting and Fishing Day