When we look into the 2022 data and start thinking about how things might play in five-fish tournaments on Cayuga , we first see a big difference in the average weight of smallmouth versus largemouth . Using our SCORETRACKER ® data , we calculated the average smallmouth weight during 2022 to be 3 pounds , 11 ½ ounces while the average largemouth was 3-2 . That ’ s a huge difference when we only count five fish this year . It will result in a 2 ½-pound difference between an average bag of smallmouth versus largemouth , which will likely be relevant around the cut line .
Dakota Ebare ' s 7-10 demonstrated the quality of Cayuga ' s smallmouth fishery .
Percentage of Fish Caught by Species in 2022
12.8 % Smallmouth
87.2 % Largemouth
The most notable change for five-fish events held on Cayuga instead of the every-fish-counts format is the species that will likely determine a winner . In the 2022 Bass Pro Tour event here , 79 of the 106 bass over 5 pounds were largemouth , which means that anglers looking to win will likely need some green fish in their daily five-fish limits .
When we rerun the numbers from 2022 ’ s Knockout and Championship rounds using the best-five-fish scoring structure , we see a rare occasion where a different field and eventual winner would have emerged .
• Instead of being eliminated in 19th place with 11 fish for 46-12 , Anthony Gagliardi would have had an impressive five-fish limit of 25-12 to lead the Knockout Round .
• The remaining top five for the Knockout Round would have been Zack Birge ( 25-0 ), Josh Bertrand ( 24-2 ), Ebare ( 22-2 ), and Connell ( 22-2 ) – Bertrand weighed only largemouth , and Gagliardi only smallmouth .
• On the final day , Birge would ’ ve had 21-14 , Connell would ’ ve had 25- 8 and Ebare a whopping 27-4 ( with his 7-10 smallmouth being the difference-maker ).
Percentage of Fish 5lbs .+ Caught by Species in 2022
25.5 % Smallmouth
74.5 % Largemouth
new york c & R season
The format isn ’ t the only big change that makes Stage Five special this year . New York has a statewide black bass regulation that allows for the daily harvest of five fish above 12 inches from June 15 through Nov . 30 , and it ’ s strictly catch and release with artificial lures only Dec . 1 through June 14 . “ Harvest ” for almost all states is considered to occur at the time a fish enters into a livewell , which means all
traditional weigh-in tournament anglers technically harvest up to five fish for their weigh-in . This restricts the tournament season on Cayuga to June 15 through Nov . 30 , or by a special permit from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation ( NYDEC ).
Our Bass Pro Tour anglers hit the water for official practice on June 4 and tournament days were June 6-11 , which is obviously during the catch-andrelease season . The BPT format naturally avoids the harvest aspect of the regulation since no fish will ever technically be harvested . For the MLF Fisheries Management Division in Partnership with Berkley Labs , this is an opportunity to showcase the science behind both the regulation and allowing a catch , weigh , immediate-release tournament to take place during the state ’ s catch-and-release season .
studying the key influencers
The primary reason fisheries managers limit harvest seasonally ( or in certain areas ) is to protect fish while they ’ re actively spawning . The impact of angling on spawning activity , nest and fry guarding , and nest abandonment is a fairly-well researched area of fisheries management .
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