Blotchy Bass Syndrome (BBS) Citizen Science Surveillance Data, North America, 2022–2024

This data release contains quality-controlled records of angler-submitted observations of black bass (Micropterus spp.) collected through a two-year citizen science initiative using the MyCatch mobile application. The dataset includes verified catch records for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, with each entry providing information on catch date, time, location (latitude/longitude), waterbody, angler effort (hours fished), fish length, and visual assessment for the presence of blotchy bass syndrome (BBS) lesions. For fish visually verified as exhibiting BBS, the percent of body surface affected by lesions is reported. All records are georeferenced and standardized to facilitate regional and temporal analyses of BBS occurrence. These data support ongoing research and management efforts to understand the distribution of BBS in North American black bass populations and provide a foundation for future studies on aquatic disease surveillance using citizen science approaches.