According to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, bass anglers should enjoy good sport this year.

Black bass populations appear to be fairly stable in most waters across the state.

“Regarding both largemouth and smallmouth bass, we’re not seeing any specific trends,” noted Bob Lorantas, leader of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s warmwater section.

“There’s no evidence that there’s going to be any decreases in 2013. Likewise, there’s no evidence there will be any dramatic increases, either.”

Lorantas said that bass lakes across the state that have the standing of providing good bass fishing should continue to do so again this year.

Waters such as Lackawanna Lake, in the state’s northeast region, and Lake Arthur, in the southwest, have produced exceptional catch rate numbers during recent fisheries surveys.

“The same is pretty much true of our river systems such as the Allegheny and Delaware, as well as the Susquehanna,” Lorantas said. “In the case of the Susquehanna, at least we’re not seeing further decline.”

Smallmouth bass in the lower Susquehanna (as well as the lower portion of the Juniata) have been in trouble for a number of years, documentation of which began in 2005.

According to the PFBC, mortality issues caused by water quality problems — increased algal production, low levels of dissolved oxygen, high pH levels — are the stressors weakening young-of-year smallmouth bass, making them highly susceptible to bacterial infections such as columnaris.

Year classes have been weak or practically absent over the past several years.

The PFBC desires the state Department of Environmental Protection to classify the Susquehanna as impaired, a status it believes is justified, and perhaps the first step in taking action to determine the source of water quality issues and correct them.

As of this writing, the DEP has not deemed the river as such.

Actions taken by the Fish and Boat Commission in recent years — ones intended to protect what remains of this once world-class smallmouth bass fishery — include catch and release regulations, and more recently a closed season during the spring spawn.

These regulations remain in effect. Anglers can keep current on news relating to the Susquehanna’s plight by visiting the PFBC website at www.fishandboat.com.

Click the “Susquehanna River Impairment” link under the Featured Topics heading. An associated link provides anglers with information on reporting impaired bass they catch from the river.

Lorantas said that catch rates on the middle portion of the Juniata have been holding their own, perhaps even increasing a tad. He also noted that it’s too early to tell what effect, if any, the restrictions on the lower Juniata and lower Susquehanna are having.

Finally, Lorantas encouraged anglers to make a concerted effort to help stop the spread of invasive species. Bass anglers typically visit a number of waterways during the course of the year.

“There’s quite a bit of information on our website that details the precautions to prevent transport of invasives, which can include micro-organisms like viruses and other pathogens that affect fish health,” he noted.

It’s important to allow sufficient time between visiting different waters, either allowing things to dry out thoroughly, or to clean the boat properly. Visit www.fishandboat.com/cleanyourgear.htm for more information.

Jeff Knapp is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.