Catch-And-Release Spring Bass Action Peaking In Vermont
Bob McNally 05.17.17
Vermont’s celebrated catch-and-release bass fishing season is underway, with some of the hottest bass fishing action in the Green Mountain State happening right now.
(Actually, catch-and-release open-water bass fishing is permitted year-round on waters that are not listed by the Department as seasonally closed. A full listing of waters and regulations can be found in the 2017 Vermont Fishing Guide & Regulations Digest, or by using the new Online Fishing Regulations Tool found at www.vtfishandwildlife.com.)
‘The spring catch-and-release season is a really special time to be on the water in Vermont, and the fishing can be truly spectacular,’ said Chris Adams with Vermont Fish & Wildlife. ‘Combine warming weather, minimal boat traffic and feeding largemouth and smallmouth bass, and spring bass fishing is hard to beat.’
Vermont’s catch-and-release bass season runs primarily from the second Saturday in April to the Friday before the second Saturday in June, when Vermont’s traditional bass season opens.
Vermont’s spring catch-and-release bass season is well-known throughout New England and the northeast, and is recognized not only for producing numbers of fish, but also for some of the biggest bass of the year.
From ice-out right through early June, the catch-and-release bass fishing in Vermont is incredible, said Adams.
During the catch-and-release season all bass must be released after being caught, and only artificial lures may be used. The use of live bait is prohibited.
Vermont Fish & Wildlife has assembled a few basic tips for anglers heading out to fish for bass during the spring catch-and-release season.
