Lake Champlain is the sixth largest freshwater lake in the United States. It is 120 miles long and just over 10 miles wide at at its widest point. The lake has a maximum depth of just under 400 feet deep. Over 70 islands may be found in its clear waters.

  The lake forms a border with NY and Vermont on its eastern side. To the west it borders the Adirondack Mountains. There are over 30 major tributaries that drain into Lake Champlain. The outflow for Lake Champlain is the Richelieu River where it flows into the St. Lawrence River. At one time Lake Champlain briefly became the nation's sixth Great Lake when President Clinton signed Senate Bill 927. Following a small uproar the Great Lake status was rescinded.

  Lake Champlain is home to the following species of fish Atlantic Salmon, Black Bullhead, Black Crappie, Bowfin, Brook Trout, Brown Bullhead, Brown Trout, Burbot, Chain Pickerel, Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Lake Sturgeon, Lake Trout, Largemouth Bass, Longnose Gar, Muskie, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass, Steelhead, Walleye, Sauger, Suckers, Yellow Bullhead, and Yellow Perch. The forage base consist of Alewives, Blueback Herring, Smelt and Mooneyes.

  The two primary species of bass inhabiting N.Y. State waters are smallmouth and largemouth bass. Both species may be found in most all of the states lakes and rivers. The average bass caught is between 1 and 5 pounds, but there are many fish taken every year over 5 pounds. Bass fisherman by majority are a catch and release group so that affords this species a bit more protection than they would other wise receive.

  The state wide size limit on bass is 12 inches in length and a daily creel limit of 5. Open season on bass is the 3rd Saturday in June through November 30th.The state record largemouth bass was caught by John L. Higbie he was using a spinnerbait fishing in Buckhorn Lake on 09/11/87. This majestic fish weighed an amazing 11 lb. 04oz. The state record smallmouth bass was caught by Andrew C. Kartesz on Jig and Grub Tail from Lake Erie on 06/04/95. This incredible fish weighed 8 lb. 4oz.

  Smallmouth bass prefer deeper and colder water than largemouth bass which enables both species to coexist in the same environment without competing directly against each other. In rivers they prefer the faster moving water and will be found around large boulder or bridge abutments. Largemouth on the other hand prefer shallower and more turbid water and are often found in weedbeds and around fallen timber in the slower moving stretches of rivers.

  Both species will feed on minnows, crayfish, insects, worms, snails, frogs, or most anything that they can catch and swallow. This is one reason so many fisherman love bass fishing, because they are fairly easy to catch and will hit most any lure that invades their space.

  Tackle for bass fishing is as simple as you want it to be, or can be as complex as you want with many tournament fisherman having 5 or 6 rods all rigged with different lines and lures for certain fishing conditions. Most any medium action rod 6 foot in length and spooled with 10 or 12 pound test line would be sufficient for most fishing conditions.

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