Strict rules, regulations help protect the protectors

By DENNIS APRILL, Outdoors Columnist

Each spring, on the bed of Lake Champlain, male bass hover over their mate ’s eggs, protecting them from swarms of small fish,  which are circling, waiting to grab one if and when the nest is left unguarded. 

At that time of year, nesting bass will strike out at anything that jeopardizes the eggs, be it a sunfish or a spoon with a treble hook attached to it. This instinctive action of bass at this time make them and their offspring vulnerable,  and Fish and Wildlife agencies know this, which is why there is a closed season for bass through much of the regular spawning season. 

Anglers, however,  do, on occasion, catch bass out of season,  mostly by accident. 

By law, they must release these fish. But remember those circling baitfish? In even that short time frame, they could have been at the nest. 

That is a concern brought to my attention recently by Plattsburgh resident Denis Tetreault who was worried the upcoming Operation Bass, Wal-Mart-FLW will lead to an important loss of bass. "Last year before the scheduled Wal-Mart tournament in September (that was later canceled due to 911), there were pros on the lake fishing bass for a month," he says. 

"If they do the same for the June 19-22 tournament, they will be fishing bass on their nests." After doing some investigating,  I can now put Denis ’and anybody else ’s concerns on that matter to rest. The Operation Bass rules and regulations for the Lake Champlain Forrest L Wood (FLW)tournament reads, "There will be no practice (fishing)until the bass season opens." It adds that any competitor on the lake for any reason before the season opens will be disqualified. 

The Lake Champlain Tournament is the only Wal-Mart-FLW stop that regulates pre-tournament fishing, primarily because most of the tour is in the south where there are very liberal open seasons. And, Operation Bass wants to return, so is very concerned about the impression left by the anglers and organizers. 

Actually, Operation Bass ’s rules are stricter than state laws. The bass season on Lake Champlain opens the second Saturday in June, this year June 8. Yet, the rules and regulations set June 15 (the opening of bass season for the rest of New York State)as the date pros can start scouting and practicing. Maybe it ’s a misprint, but whichever date is used, state law will be followed to the letter. 

Keeseville ’s Ricky Doyle knows Lake Champlain about as well as anyone. He turns pro this year and will fish in the Operation Bass Everstart tournament scheduled for July 24-27 at Ticonderoga. He says, "Why would professional anglers who make their living catching these fish want to hurt the fishery, especially because there will probably be more tournaments coming here. 

Plus the water is so clear in Champlain due to the zebra mussels,  they don ’t have to throw in a lure to find bass, and most of the bass won ’t be found in June where they were in May." Doyle adds that bass in Champlain can spawn almost every month of the spring and summer. "The conditions in Kings Bay are so different from Cumberland Head or Burlington that I’ve seen a few bass still spawning in August." Let ’s hope the facts get out there, so everyone can enjoy what promises to be a very interesting and lucrative tournament for the Plattsburgh area.