Dan Ladd

Just as the United States was celebrating its 250th birthday, Bassmaster Magazine honored what it called “one of America’s greatest public treasures, its world-class bass fisheries.”
Just before July 4, the publication released its annual 100 Best Bass Lakes rankings, showcasing the nation’s premier destinations for largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass fishing from coast-to-coast.

In 2025, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued 802 permits on 98 bodies of water across New York to organizations holding bass fishing tournaments.
Under the new system, tournaments with 10 or more competitors must go through the new permit process. DEC recently published the results of the first year of the New York State Black Bass Fishing Tournament Permit and Reporting System, including much of the data the agency gathered during the system’s first year.