New York State Record Fish: All 20 Official Records (2026)
All 20 verified New York record fish from the New York DEC. The heaviest is the Muskellunge at 69 lb 15 oz, caught in 1957 on St. Lawrence River. The oldest standing record is the Northern Pike from 1940.
The official New York state-fishing-records list is kept by New York DEC. Records range from prized gamefish like walleye, muskie, and bass to less-targeted species, and every one has been weighed and verified to the agency's standards.
A state record marks what a species is capable of in New York water, and the lakes and rivers where those records were set point to the specific waters that have historically produced trophy-class fish. Reading the record-setting waters alongside the LakeQuality grade rubric is a useful exercise: coldwater species like trout and salmon tend to come from the cleanest, highest-grade waters, while warm-water trophies can come from across the grade distribution.
Record Fish by Species
New York State Record Walleye
The New York state record walleye weighed 18 lb 2 oz and measured 32 inches, caught in 2018 from St. Lawrence River in St. Lawrence County by Brian Hartman.
New York State Record Muskellunge
The New York state record muskellunge weighed 69 lb 15 oz and measured 64.5 inches, caught in 1957 from St. Lawrence River in Jefferson County by Arthur Lawton.
New York State Record Northern Pike
The New York state record northern pike weighed 46 lb 2 oz, caught in 1940 from Great Sacandaga Lake in Fulton County by Peter Dubuc.
New York State Record Largemouth Bass
The New York state record largemouth bass weighed 12 lb 6 oz and measured 25 inches, caught in 2024 from Cayuga Lake in Cayuga County by James Britenbaugh.
New York State Record Smallmouth Bass
The New York state record smallmouth bass weighed 9 lb and measured 23.125 inches, caught in 2024 from St. Lawrence River in St. Lawrence County by Dante Piraino.
New York State Record Lake Trout
The New York state record lake trout weighed 41 lb 8 oz and measured 42.75 inches, caught in 2003 from Lake Erie in Chautauqua County by Jesse Wykstra.
All New York Records
| Species | Weight | Length | Year | Water | County | Angler |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 18 lb 2 oz | 32 in | 2018 | St. Lawrence River | St. Lawrence | Brian Hartman |
| Northern Pike | 46 lb 2 oz | — | 1940 | Great Sacandaga Lake | Fulton | Peter Dubuc |
| Muskellunge | 69 lb 15 oz | 64.5 in | 1957 | St. Lawrence River | Jefferson | Arthur Lawton |
| Tiger Muskellunge | 35 lb 8 oz | 50 in | 1990 | Tioughnioga River | Broome | Brett Gofgosky |
| Largemouth Bass | 12 lb 6 oz | 25 in | 2024 | Cayuga Lake | Cayuga | James Britenbaugh |
| Smallmouth Bass | 9 lb | 23.125 in | 2024 | St. Lawrence River | St. Lawrence | Dante Piraino |
| Striped Bass | 60 lb | 53.4 in | 2014 | Hudson River | Orange | Eric Lester |
| Lake Trout | 41 lb 8 oz | 42.75 in | 2003 | Lake Erie | Chautauqua | Jesse Wykstra |
| Brown Trout | 33 lb 2 oz | 38 in | 1997 | Lake Ontario | Oswego | Tony Brown |
| Rainbow Trout | 31 lb 3 oz | 39 in | 2004 | Lake Ontario | Niagara | Robert Wilson |
| Brook Trout | 6 lb 3 oz | 22 in | 2025 | St. Regis Canoe Area | Franklin | Benjamin Ferguson |
| Channel Catfish | 37 lb 9 oz | 40 in | 2025 | Black River Bay | Jefferson | Dylan Kampnich |
| Black Crappie | 4 lb 1 oz | 18.5 in | 2018 | Lake Flavia | Cattaraugus | William Wightman |
| Bluegill | 2 lb 8 oz | 12 in | 1992 | Kohlbach Pond | Broome | Devin VanZandt |
| Yellow Perch | 3 lb 8 oz | — | 1982 | Lake Erie | Erie | George Boice |
| Chinook Salmon | 47 lb 13 oz | 48 in | 1991 | Salmon River | Oswego | Kurtis Killian |
| Coho Salmon | 33 lb 7 oz | 41.9 in | 1998 | Lake Ontario | Oswego | Stephen Sheets Jr. |
| Atlantic Salmon | 24 lb 15 oz | 35 in | 1997 | Lake Ontario | Wayne | Mike Dandino |
| Lake Whitefish | 10 lb 8 oz | 27.87 in | 1995 | Lake Pleasant | Hamilton | Randolph Smith |
| Freshwater Drum | 36 lb | 42.75 in | 2017 | Oneida Lake | Oneida | Jason Bair |
Record Waters We Grade
1 of New York's record fish came from lakes in our water-quality index. See how each one grades today:
Records by Decade
When each standing New York record was set — a rough map of the state's trophy-fishing history.
How New York Records Are Verified
New York DEC requires that record-eligible fish be weighed on a certified scale, photographed, and verified by a fisheries biologist; some species also recognize catch-and-release length records. Each agency sets its own application form and filing deadline — check the official New York DEC records page for the current rules before submitting a claim.
Targeting a record? Many of these fish came from waters with strong populations of trophy-class fish — see the best fishing lakes ranking and New York lake directory.