In recent weeks there has been growing interest in bass fishing across the region, as anglers waited for the official opening day of the season. While New York fishing regulations allow anglers to pursue catch-and-release bass fishing all year round, there are many anglers who prefer to release their big, slab-sided bass into a fry pan rather than back into the lake. They have good reason, as bass provide a mild, tender and flaky white meat that’s excellent deep-fried, grilled, baked or caked.

Although there’s very little difference in taste between a smallmouth and largemouth bass, I believe bass that feed primarily on crayfish seem to have the firmest texture.

Bass can be found in a variety of waters across the region, ranging from small, mucky swamp bogs to spacious clearwater lakes and backwater flows. Despite the availability of such diverse waters, it is likely the region’s many rivers and streams remain among the most overlooked bass resources in the area.

Bass provide an excellent introductory opportunity for novice anglers, as they are relatively easy to catch and offer an outstanding fight.

While river bass rarely attain the impressive size and girth of lake fish, they are among the strongest, hardest fighting finned quarry. They often appear to know exactly how to escape into a deep hole or a tangle of thick brush located within range.

River bass also know how to use the flow and currents to their advantage, whether it’s to pick off prey drifting by or swimming sideways to the current in an effort to force anglers to work harder on the retrieve. While working a river’s current to their advantage, a 2-pound smallmouth bass can provide a fight that’s equivalent to a bass twice its size.

Although smallmouth bass are likely the strongest, most exciting and enduring pound-for-pound piscatorial entertainment available, largemouth bass are the tackle-busting equivalent of the slammed door or an electric window. Largemouth have likely destroyed more fishing rods than all other means known to man.

Fortunately, the Saranac Chain of Lakes provides ample opportunities to target both largemouth and smallmouth bass on still lakes, small ponds, rushing streams or flowing rivers. While there’s no doubt the Saranac Chain provides a quartet of bass angling adventures, North Country sportsmen and women are literally surrounded by productive bass waters. With this in mind, it’s a good time to review my picks for the biggest bass holes in the region.

Top 10 bass waters

in the North?Country

It is difficult to name the best bass waters in the Adirondacks because even the finest waters are susceptible to weather conditions. The rankings are not necessarily in order of best to worse.

As a rule, bass will feed heavily with an approaching low-pressure front, and then go off the bite once the front arrives. A combination of high or low water conditions, wind and sun or clouds also affects bass feeding patterns, as does the availability of seasonal feed sources such as mayfly nymphs, dragonflies, molting crayfish, spawning minnows, leeches and more.

On to the top 10:

1. It’s difficult to name a bass fishery that can top Lake Champlain, which borders the east coast of the Adirondacks. The Big Lake consistently ranks among the top 10 bass fisheries in the country.

2. Second place goes to Lake George, which provides outstanding opportunities on an underutilized smallmouth bass fishery that features the region’s clearest waters and some of its most beautiful scenery.

3. Lows Lake/Bog River Flow Wilderness Area. A familiar water of my youth, where I spent my days fishing for huge brook trout. Shortly after the state purchased the property, largemouth bass were illegally introduced and they rapidly took over. There are now more bass than you can shake a fist at, and they are just plain dumb and rarely pressured.

The chain of lakes and ponds are part of a big, shallow flow, with a windy lake that produces monster whitecaps and similarly scary-sized bass.

4. While the Saranac Chain of Lakes is considered a local natural attraction, it provided the ESPN Great Outdoor Games Pro Bass anglers with diverse angling opportunities and the untapped potential of a variety of deep waters, wide, slow rivers, rapids, waterfalls and small secluded ponds harboring healthy populations of smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and the bonus of northern pike and walleye.

5. Forked Lake

6. Long Lake

7. Raquette Lake

While largemouth bass may grow larger than smallmouth bass, there’s no doubt which species is the most entertaining to have on the end of a fishing rod. As a result, I’d rank three of the best local smallmouth waters in the middle of the pack. On any given day, each would easily rank at the top, as they each provide a slice of smallmouth heaven, especially on windless, overcast days.

8. For pure power fishing enthusiasts, there are few locations better than the huge largemouth of Lake Durant, coupled with the apparent danger of hooking a tiger musky while tossing a bass plug.

9. Lincoln Pond. A local favorite. After having worked as a lifeguard at the Lincoln Pond State Campground during my younger years, I’m very familiar with huge largemouth bass and toothy tiger musky that lurk among thick weed cover and stumps in an old flow.

10. Black Lake. OK, technically the lake is in St. Lawrence County, outside the Park, but it’s difficult to beat the unrelenting angling action when Black Lake is really on. Sore shoulders, big smiles and some truly huge largemouth and smallies.