The regular bass season is actually very simple on Chautauqua Lake. From the third Saturday in June until the last day of November, anglers are allowed to keep any five bass over 12 inches. From Dec. 1 until the day before traditional opening day anglers are allowed to pursue bass with the use of artificial baits, with all bass caught during this special season being immediately released back into the lake.

The special catch-and-release season has been a long time coming and anglers are every happy that the season is now law.

Some say that fishing before the regular season opens, anglers will target spawning fish and take females off their beds. which can stress the fish out during the catch-and-release process. I am not going to say that all bass caught during this special season are released alive back into the lake – that would be silly and unrealistic – but the law states that all bass caught during the catch-and-release season are supposed to be.

Studies conducted through the nation and northeast have shown little impact on spawning fish.

From the other side of the fence, anglers enjoy the special season and the opportunities that it can offer. Some have said that preseason bass are easier to catch. While that may be true sometimes, as with much to Mother Nature, it is not a hard-and-fast rule.

For those of us that have been fishing the lake so far this season, for the most part the bite has been tough. Due to temperature, wind and often nasty conditions, spring fishing often isn’t easy, but can be fun.

For early season bass artificial 6-inch plastic worms in pumpkinseed, black with blue tail and motor oil color seems to be working the best. Targeting the weed edges and other structure is important.

If hitting the banks is your style, then working top-water baits in the early morning and early evening is always productive. Around docks, 3-inch craw fish and tubes is your best bet.

While it may be temping, it’s not advised to pull fish off their spawning beds. Often folks feel that pulling a female off her bed hurts the female, but not so much. What really opens up is predator fish coming in and cleaning out the spawning bed while we fight and catch the fish.

No matter which side of fence that you land on, it’s not good to target spawning fish.

Today’s bass anglers are better schooled in the practices of catch and release, they also pride themselves with not losing bass. I have been on the lake several times over the past couple of weeks and I haven’t seen any negative impact on this special artificial catch-and-release season.

While time will be the true test of the new season, the one thing that it has done is successfully help what the tourism folks call the shoulder season. And in today’s economy, more visitors coming to Chautauqua County is always great for everybody.