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DEC says no catch-and-release bass fishing season in St. Lawrence County

Posted 5/18/12

There is some confusion about catch-and-release bass fishing in the North Country, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. DEC Law Enforcement and Fisheries offices in …

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DEC says no catch-and-release bass fishing season in St. Lawrence County

Posted

There is some confusion about catch-and-release bass fishing in the North Country, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

DEC Law Enforcement and Fisheries offices in Watertown have received a large number of inquiries about the opening date of bass season in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties.

DEC Spokesperson Stephen Litwhiler says there is no catch-and-release season in the counties, and that includes all of the St. Lawrence River. Franklin and Hamilton counties are also excluded from the catch-and-release bass season.

In the four counties, largemouth and smallmouth black bass can be fished for beginning the third Saturday in June, June 16 this year, the date same as the rest of the state.

The catch-and-release of bass has shown to reduce spawning success in the colder waters of the North Country, according to DEC.

With bass populations at lower levels in some waters, the fisheries staff have held back the catch and release opportunity in order to help the bass numbers increase.

Anglers in St. Lawrence County can call the Watertown fisheries office at 785-2263 or the Law Enforcement Office at 785-2231 if they have questions.