RHODE ISLAND
When heading to the Ocean State, don't forget to try some of their great inland waters. Bass management here consists of angler surveys and electrofishing surveys to gather catch rate and fish growth data.

"We do have a bass survey that we conduct each year to monitor the bass population," said Phil Edwards, who heads up the bass management program for Rhode Island's Division of Fish and Wildlife. "The preliminary finding is that the bass population is stable. The surveys that we do are angler surveys to monitor tournaments, plus fall electro-shocking in the ponds. We compare the catch rates and gather growth data."

Current regulations call for a 12-inch length limit and a daily creel limit of five bass.

For great early-season action for both largemouth and smallmouth bass, Edwards suggested Watchaug Pond, which offers good catches from spring right through the hot summer months, thanks to its depth.

Wilson Pond and Echo Lake yield both species of bass pretty much year 'round. Tiogue Lake and Stafford Pond are two other popular spots for largemouth and smallmouth bass, Edwards said.

Worden Pond is the hotspot for largemouth action on the ice, as well as great pike fishing.

The state-record largemouth (10 pounds, 6 ounces) was taken out of Carbuncle Pond back in 1991, and the record smallmouth (5 pounds, 15 ounces) was landed at Wash Pond in 1977.

While 10-pounders may be rare these days, Edwards said that good-sized fish weighing in at 5 to 6 pounds are consistently pulled out of Watchaug, Wilson and Echo during annual tournaments and electro-shocking surveys.

Go to www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres for fisheries information or call (401) 789-7481.

For travel information, check out www.visitri.com.

VERMONT
"Bass of both species are prolific, so we have some very basic fishing regulations on them," said John Hall, Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department information specialist.

Regulations in the Green Mountain State include a basic fishing season on bass that opens the second Saturday each June and runs to Nov. 30, with a minimum length limit of 10 inches and a creel limit of five bass. There is also an early catch-and- release season with artificial baits that begins the second Saturday in April and ends the Friday in June before the opener of the regular season.

Hall recommends taking a close look at the 2006 digest of fishing laws, which may be viewed at www.vtfishandwildlife.com.

"We recently revamped some of the older regulations, and that will become apparent in the 2006 publication," Hall said. During the revamping process, the team is going to take a close look at the remaining regulations, and may discuss management geared toward developing trophy bass fisheries.

"Lake Champlain is the most productive water we have for both largemouth and smallmouth bass," Hall said. "At over 100 miles long, and with many bays all along the Vermont shore, there's good bass fishing almost anywhere you look, with largemouth concentrations in shallow bays in summer, and smallmouth bass along dropoffs and islands."

Hall said Lake Bomoseen has superb largemouth fishing. Anglers there should be prepared to fish in thick aquatic vegetation, which is abundant.

"Waters that I would look to for smallmouths are Lake Seymour in the Northeast Kingdom, and Salem Lake nearby," Hall said. "Both species are widespread throughout the state. The lower portions of the rivers that flow into Lake Champlain offer really good spring and summer smallmouth fishing. They take up residence in the lower portions below the first dams in rivers like the Missisquoi, Lamoille, Winooski and Otter Creek.

For additional Vermont fisheries information, visit the agency's Web site listed above or call (802) 241-3700.

For travel information, visit www.travel-vermont.com.