{"id":81078,"date":"2025-07-21T16:44:15","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T16:44:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/81078\/"},"modified":"2025-07-21T16:44:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T16:44:15","slug":"two-spots-in-upstate-ny-named-among-top-10-bass-lakes-in-u-s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/81078\/","title":{"rendered":"Two spots in Upstate NY named among top 10 bass lakes in U.S."},"content":{"rendered":"

Is New York home to some of the best fishing spots in America? You bet your bass it is.<\/p>\n

Two world-class waterways in Upstate New York just reeled in big wins in a coveted ranking: The St. Lawrence River<\/a> and Lake Erie<\/a> have been named among the top 10 best bass lakes of 2025 by Bassmaster magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Despite not being a lake, the St. Lawrence River in the stunning Thousand Islands<\/a> was ranked the fourth-best bass fishing lake in the nation.<\/p>\n

The sprawling Lake Erie, which shares some of its shoreline with Western New York<\/a>, earned the No. 9 spot on the list.<\/p>\n

\"St.A man fishes from a wooden boat in the St. Lawrence River in the Thousand Islands of Upstate New York. Photo: Getty ImagesGetty Images\/Cavan Images RF<\/p>\n

The two Upstate waterways are no strangers to recognition.<\/p>\n

Both made Bassmaster\u2019s 2024 ranking of the best bass lakes in the U.S., with the St. Lawrence River earning the top spot.<\/p>\n

Lake Erie<\/a> was also recently recognized as the sixth-best lake in the U.S. and one of the nation\u2019s best lakes for water sports and swimming.<\/p>\n

Bassmaster said its list of the 100 best bass lakes is data-driven. The team that created the \u201cultimate bucket list of bass fishing destinations\u201d by viewing tournament results from the last year, polling thousands of anglers and consulting with biologists.<\/p>\n

But what factors helped snag the St. Lawrence River and Lake Erie impressive spots in the recent ranking?<\/p>\n

\"St.A home perches on a small island in the St. Lawrence River in the Thousand Islands of Upstate New York. Photo: Getty ImagesGetty Images\/Cavan Images RF<\/p>\n

In that search for the best fishing spots, the St. Lawrence River caught Bassmaster\u2019s attention for the huge hauls anglers bagged during the 2024 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series. The tournament\u2019s winner, Cory Johnston, won with 102 pounds.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese waters continue to reign as the nation\u2019s unrivaled trophy smallmouth fishery,\u201d Bassmaster wrote in its review of the St. Lawrence River.<\/p>\n

Although the Great Lake has a border that touches Canada and four states in the U.S., the portion of Lake Erie that falls within New York is what earned the lake a spot on Bassmaster\u2019s top 10.<\/p>\n

A Lake Erie Research Unit aquatic biologist told Bassmaster that a recent survey of 120 bass boaters revealed anglers in one out of every eight boats caught over 50 bass in one day.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you wish to avoid aching wrists from battling quality smallmouth bass, stay away from Lake Erie\u2019s eastern basin,\u201d Bassmaster wrote.<\/p>\n

\"LakeLake Erie in Buffalo, New York, as viewed from an observation deck that offers 360-degree views of the city. Matthew Digati for NYup.comSYR<\/p>\n

While the St. Lawrence River and Lake Erie were the only New York waterways to make Bassmaster\u2019s list of the top 10 best bass lakes of 2025, five other New York lakes made the magazine\u2019s longer ranking of the nation\u2019s 100 best bass fishing spots:<\/p>\n