It’s no secret that New York has some of the best bass fishing in the country. Bass tournaments of all types and sizes, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, are held on many waters throughout the state every year. To better understand the scope and scale of these events and ensure we retain the incredible bass fishing opportunities for all anglers, regulations were recently adopted to implement a black bass (largemouth bass and smallmouth bass) tournament permit and reporting system. Black bass tournament permits are only required for fishing tournaments where black bass are the targeted species, and the tournament has 10 or more participants. Fishing tournament directors can begin applying for black bass tournament permits via an online permitting system on September 9 for tournaments that begin on or after January 1, 2025.

For more details visit the Bass Tournament Permit and Reporting System webpage.