Oneida Lake

A total of 40 local bass anglers, all members of New York B.A.S.S. Chapter Federation, have volunteered to take out an expected 80 active soldiers from Fort Drum for a day of fishing.“It’s our way of giving thanks,” said Mike Cusano, of Clay, who is president of New York B.A.S.S. (Bass Anglers Sportsmen’s Society). “All the boat captains will provide all the equipment and offer instruction on how to fish.”Cusano said they’ll be two soldiers per boat and they’ll be allowed to fish for any species in the lake and the nearby Oneida River that are in season. They won’t be able to target walleyes, bass or pickerel, he said, but everything else (panfish, bullheads, carp, sheepshead, etc.) is game.
Oneida Lake is closed to pre-season catch-and-release bass fishing, Cusano said, but the soldiers will be able to target bass, if they wish, in the river. Those fish will be quickly released, though, and won’t be considered for the contest and the prizes offered at the end of the day.