New York has abundant fishing opportunities for bass fisherman, with many lakes, rivers, and streams where you can enjoy the outdoors. Joining a bass fishing club provides you with many benefits and opportunities for challenging bass fishing, as well as the opportunity to meet and learn from fellow bass fisherman.
Benefits
Bass fishing clubs in New York offer the opportunity to enjoy the sport of bass fishing alongside fellow enthusiasts. Fishing clubs provide a sense of camaraderie, fishing challenges such as competitions, skills training, youth fishing challenges, and a fun environment to enjoy your bass fishing hobby. Some clubs in New York, such as the Barge Canal Bassmasters, provide volunteer opportunities to help conserve local natural resources. Most New York bass clubs put on tournaments or competitions throughout the year to challenge and entertain their members.
Membership
Most New York bass fishing clubs require that you apply for membership and pay fees upon acceptance into the club. Membership applications require such information as name, address, and an agreement to abide by the club by-laws. Membership fees vary but are generally around $20 to $30 per year. Some bass fishing clubs in New York require prior membership in the Bass Angler Sportsman Society, a national bass fishing organization. This organization also requires annual dues in exchange for access to newsletters, tournaments, and other bass fishing activities.
Geography
Fishing clubs are located throughout New York from the Adirondack Mountains to the Hudson Valley. Some of the most popular larger bodies of water in New York for bass fishing include the Hudson River, the Delaware River, Mohawk River, Lake Champlain, the Finger Lakes, Oneida Lake, Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Salmon River, the St. Lawrence River, and the Niagara River. Smaller bodies of water popular for bass fishing, and therefore bass fishing clubs, include Cayuga Lake, Seneca Lake, the St. Lawrence River, Black River, and the Peconic River.
Considerations
Bass fishing clubs differ in terms of location, amount of involvement, membership dues, number of yearly tournaments, and youth activities. These considerations may determine which club you decide to join. The number of annual tournaments, for example, differs from club to club. The Adirondack Bass Club offers up to 10 tournaments per year while the Rochester Bassmasters offers six tournaments. Depending on how highly you value tournaments, this could play a big role in which club you join.
History
New York has had official bass clubs since the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) chapter program began in 1968. B.A.S.S. decided to help unite the smaller clubs so that greater event planning and organization could take place within the state. There are currently more than 25 bass fishing clubs in New York, and new ones are being formed on a regular basis.
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