New York State Record Lake Whitefish: 10 lb 8 oz
The New York state record lake whitefish weighed 10 lb 8 oz and measured 27.87 inches. It was caught in 1995 from Lake Pleasant in Hamilton County by Randolph Smith, and the New York DEC still recognizes it as the state mark 31 years later.
Where the record came from
Lake Pleasant is one of the New York lakes we grade. It holds a Grade B water-quality score today, based on clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a samples from the EPA Water Quality Portal — a useful check on whether the water that produced a record fish still fishes well.
BLake Pleasant — Hamilton County, NY. See the full water-quality report →Lake Whitefish records by state
New York ranks 1 of 2 among the states in our index for record lake whitefish. No state we track has produced a heavier one.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York (this page) | 10 lb 8 oz | 1995 | Lake Pleasant |
| 2 | North Dakota | 9 lb 3 oz | 2025 | Missouri River |
Each figure comes from that state's own fisheries agency. Agencies differ on what they certify — some recognize catch-and-release length records alongside weight — so treat this as a comparison of standing certified weights, not a single national list.
How it ranks inside New York
14 of New York's 20 standing records are heavier than the 10 lb 8 oz lake whitefish — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 6 New York records have stood longer, the lake whitefish mark dating to 1995.