New York Angler Achievement Awards Program
New Smallmouth Bass Record
Dante Piraino caught a record-breaking smallmouth bass that weighed 9 lbs. from the St. Lawrence River, St. Lawrence County on September 22, 2024.
New Largemouth Bass Record
James Britenbaugh caught a record breaking largemouth bass that weighed 12 lbs. 6 oz., from Cayuga Lake, Cayuga County on July 11, 2024.
New Gar Record
Chuck Zimmerman caught a record breaking gar that weighed in at 15 lbs. 14oz., from Butterfield Lake, Jefferson County on June 21, 2024.
Angler Award Category
The Angler Award recognizes anglers who catch any of the 40 eligible fish species that meet or exceed the minimum qualifying lengths established for that species. Anglers receive a species-specific Angler Achievement Award sticker – can you collect all 40!?
Youth Angler Award Category (under age 16)
Same as the Angler Award Category; however, minimum qualifying lengths for eligible species are adjusted for anglers under the age of 16. Qualifying entrants receive a species-specific Angler Achievement Award sticker.
State Record Award Category
The State Record Award recognizes anglers who break current New York State records for any of the 39 eligible fish species. Anglers receive a custom engraved plaque, an Angler Achievement Award lapel pin, and a Certificate of Achievement.
Submit Your Catch
Checklist:
- Submit entry forms within 30 days of the catch
- Review the entry rules and ensure the fish meets the minimum qualifying measurements
- Adhere to the freshwater fishing regulations
- State Record submissions must use the printable entry form only
Entry Rules
- Fish must be taken during their respective open season by angling or ice fishing in New York State waters in accordance with New York State Fishing Regulations. Fish showing signs of foul hooking (hooked other than in the mouth), gill nets, tampering or foreign objects will be disqualified. Bowfishing entries are not eligible.
- Entry Form: Qualifying fish must be entered on the official entry form. All applicable portions of the entry form must be completed. Entry forms must be received within 30 days of the catch.
- Submitting Photographs:
- A side-view photograph that shows the entire fish (angler with the fish is encouraged).
- The fish should also be photographed next to a ruler, measuring tape, or an object of known size (e.g., fishing rod, tackle box, etc.).
- Information provided on the entry form and associated photographs become the property of the DEC and may be used for promotional purposes.
- Angler Award and Youth Angler Award Entry Requirements
- The fish must be one of the 40 species designated under the Angler Award and Youth Angler Award Categories.
- The fish must be measured from tip of nose to tip of tail.
- The fish must meet or exceed the minimum qualifying length.
- The number of stickers awarded annually will be limited to one sticker per angler per species.
- State Record Category Entry Requirements:
- The fish must be one of the 39 species designated for State Record consideration.
- Fish must be weighed on a certified scale by the owner or employee of the business where the scale is located. Certified scales can be found at post offices, supermarkets, and bait shops. Fish weighed on personal handheld scales will not be accepted.
- Weighing must be observed by one witness other than the scale owner or business employee.
- The fish must exceed the previous record by at least 1 ounce to qualify as a new state record (see current State Records).
- Fish must be kept for the purposes of being weighed on a certified scale (see b. above) and examined by a DEC Fisheries Biologist.
- The fish must be identified and examined by a DEC Fisheries Biologist prior to any cutting of the fish or removal of entrails. If caught during the weekend, keep fish on ice (do not freeze) after weight certification. Contact the appropriate DEC Regional Fisheries Office on the next business day.
- Fish fed or otherwise grown with the intention of breaking a state record will be disqualified.
The DEC Bureau of Fisheries reserves the right to reject any Angler Achievement Award Application on the basis of erroneous species identification, improper handling, illegal fishing methods, evidence of tampering or foreign objects, or inability to adequately document any of the circumstances relating to the catch.
Angler Award/Youth Angler Award
Eligible Species and Qualifying Lengths
Species | Minimum Qualifying Lengths | ||
---|---|---|---|
Angler Award | Youth Angler Award | ||
Bass, Largemouth | 20 inches | 18 inches | |
Bass, Smallmouth | 18 inches | 16 inches | |
Bass, Rock | 10 inches | 8 inches | |
Bass, Striped (inland – Hudson River, Delaware River) | 36 inches | 34 inches | |
Bass, White | 16 inches | 14 inches | |
Bluegill (sunfish) | 10 inches | 8 inches | |
Bowfin | 27 inches | 25 inches | |
Bullhead, Black | 14 inches | 12 inches | |
Bullhead, Brown | 14 inches | 12 inches | |
Burbot | 24 inches | 22 inches | |
Carp, Common | 34 inches | 32 inches | |
Catfish, Channel | 30 inches | 28 inches | |
Catfish, White | 15 inches | 13 inches | |
Cisco (Lake Herring) | 17 inches | 15 inches | |
Crappie, Black | 14 inches | 12 inches | |
Crappie, White | 14 inches | 12 inches | |
Drum, Freshwater | 26 inches | 24 inches | |
Fallfish | 15 inches | 13 inches | |
Gar, Longnose | 38 inches | 36 inches | |
Muskellunge | Great Lakes & Tributaries | 54 inches | 54 inches |
All other waters | 48 inches | 46 inches | |
Muskellunge, Tiger | 38 inches | 36 inches | |
Perch, White | 14 inches | 12 inches | |
Perch, Yellow | 14 inches | 12 inches | |
Pickerel, Chain | 25 inches | 23 inches | |
Pike, Northern | 36 inches | 34 inches | |
Pumpkinseed (sunfish) | 10 inches | 8 inches | |
Redbreast (sunfish) | 9 inches | 8 inches | |
Salmon, Atlantic | Great Lakes | 30 inches | 28 inches |
Inland | 24 inches | 22 inches | |
Salmon, Chinook | 38 inches | 36 inches | |
Salmon, Coho | 30 inches | 28 inches | |
Shad, American | 20 inches | 18 inches | |
Sucker (Redhorse species) | 22 inches | 20 inches | |
Sucker, White | 20 inches | 18 inches | |
Trout, Brook | 18 inches | 16 inches | |
Trout, Brown | Great Lakes | 26 inches | 24 inches |
Inland Lakes | 24 inches | 22 inches | |
Inland Streams | 20 inches | 18 inches | |
Trout, Lake | Great Lakes | 33 inches | 31 inches |
Inland | 30 inches | 28 inches | |
Trout, Rainbow | Great Lakes | 30 inches | 28 inches |
Inland Lakes | 24 inches | 22 inches | |
Inland Streams | 20 inches | 18 inches | |
Trout, Splake | 20 inches | 18 inches | |
Walleye | 25 inches | 23 inches | |
Whitefish, Lake | 21 inches | 19 inches |
Current State Records
Current State Record Fish as of October 3, 2024 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Species | Weight | Length | Angler | Lure | Water | Date |
Bass, Largemouth | 12 lb. 6 oz. | 25 | James Britenbaugh | Senko | Cayuga Lake, Cayuga Co. | 7/11/2024 |
Bass, Smallmouth | 9 lb. 0 oz. | 23.125 | Dante Piraino | Ned rig-Berkley Flatnose Minnow | St. Lawrence River, St. Lawrence Co. | 9/22/2024 |
Bass, Rock | 2 lb. 0 oz. | 14.5 | Jason Leusch | Live shiner | Port Bay (Lake Ontario), Wayne Co. | 5/24/2020 |
Bass, White | 3 lb. 8 oz. | 18 | Morgan Fonzi | Steelshad | Lower Niagara River, Niagara Co. | 5/6/2020 |
Bluegill (sunfish) | 2 lb. 8 oz. | 12 | Devin VanZandt | Worm | Kohlbach Pond, Broome Co. | 8/3/1992 |
Bowfin | 13 lb. 8 oz. | 30.5 | Chase Soptelean | Cut Bait | Yanty Creek, Monroe Co. | 6/13/2021 |
Bullhead, Black | 7 lb. 7 oz. | 26 | Kevin Kelly | Wonder Bread | Mill Pond, Nassau Co. | 8/25/1993 |
Bullhead, Brown | 7 lb. 6 oz. | 22.2 | Glenn Collacuro | Sawbelly | Lake Mahopac, Putnam Co. | 8/1/2009 |
Burbot | 16 lb. 12 oz. | 34.75 | Terrance Colwell | Minnow | Lake Ontario (Black River Bay), Jefferson Co. | 2/14/1991 |
Carp, Common | 50 lb. 6 oz. | 44.5 | Charles Primeau Sr. | Nightcrawler | Tomhannock Reservoir, Rensselaer Co. | 5/12/1995 |
Catfish, Channel | 35 lb. 12 oz. | 40 | Bailey Williams | Cut Bait | Black River, Jefferson County | 5/8/2022 |
Catfish, White | 10 lb. 5 oz. | 25.5 | Joe Silicato | Jig & Cut Bait | New Croton Reservoir, Westchester Co. | 5/17/1998 |
Cisco (Lake Herring) | 5 lb. 7 oz. | n/a | Albert Baratto | Tear Drop & Grub | Lake Lauderdale, Washington Co. | 1/25/1990 |
Crappie, Black | 4 lb. 1 oz. | 18.5 | William Wightman | Black marabou jig | Lake Flavia, Cattaraugus Co. | 5/6/2018 |
Crappie, White | 4 lb. 7 oz. | 19 | Roy Isaac | Minnow | Sleepy Hollow Lake, Greene Co. | 8/21/2021 |
Drum, Freshwater | 36 lb. 0 oz. | 42.75 | Jason Bair | Rapala Jigging Rap | Oneida Lake, Oneida Co. | 6/16/2017 |
Fallfish | 3 lb. 9 oz. | 19 | Jonathan McNamara | Tube Jig | Susquehanna River, Tioga Co. | 4/15/2009 |
Gar, Longnose | 15 lb. 14 oz. | 53.25 | Chuck Zimmerman | Swimbait | Butterfield Lake, | 6/21/2024 |
Muskellunge | 69 lb. 15 oz. | 64.5 | Arthur Lawton | n/a | St. Lawrence River, Jefferson Co. | 9/22/1957 |
Muskellunge, Tiger | 35 lb. 8 oz. | 50 | Brett Gofgosky | Sucker | Tioughnioga River, Broome Co. | 5/25/1990 |
Perch, White | 3 lb. 1 oz. | 17.5 | Joseph Tansey | Alewife | Lake Oscaletta, Westchester Co. | 9/21/1991 |
Perch, Yellow | 3 lb. 8 oz. | n/a | George Boice | Minnow | Lake Erie, Erie Co. | 4/28/1982 |
Pickerel, Chain | 8 lb. 1 oz. | n/a | John Bosland | n/a | Toronto Reservoir, Sullivan Co. | 2/13/1965 |
Pike, Northern | 46 lb. 2 oz. | n/a | Peter Dubuc | Heddon Flaptail | Great Sacandaga Lake, Fulton Co. | 9/15/1940 |
Pumpkinseed (sunfish) | 1 lb. 9 oz. | 11.5 | R. Kennard Mosher | Nightcrawler | Indian Lake, Hamilton Co. | 7/19/1994 |
Jordan Tontarski | Jig w/spike | Black River, Jefferson Co. | 1/26/2020 | |||
Redbreast (sunfish) | Vacant (minimum weight of 1 lb.) | |||||
Salmon, Atlantic | 24 lb. 15 oz. | 35 | Mike Dandino | Bomber Long A | Lake Ontario, Wayne Co. | 4/5/1997 |
Salmon, Chinook | 47 lb. 13 oz. | 48 | Kurtis Killian | Orange Fly | Salmon River, Oswego Co. | 9/7/1991 |
Salmon, Coho | 33 lb. 7 oz. | 41.9 | Stephen Sheets Jr. | Cut Bait | Lake Ontario, Oswego Co. | 8/13/1998 |
Shad, American | 9 lb. 4 oz. | 28 | Robert Kubica | Shad Dart | Hudson River, Albany Co. | 5/9/2007 |
Sucker, Shorthead Redhorse | 11 lb. 11 oz. | n/a | Joe Williams | Nightcrawler | Salmon River, Oswego Co. | 5/26/1996 |
Sucker, White | 5 lb. 8 oz. | 24 | Joshua Wegner | Nightcrawler | Cold Brook, Steuben Co. | 4/14/2015 |
Trout, Brook | 6 lb. 0 oz. | 22.6 | Richard Beauchamp | Lake Clear Wabbler | Silver Lake Wilderness Area, Hamilton Co. | 5/16/2013 |
Trout, Brown | 33 lb. 2 oz. | 38 | Tony Brown | Smithwick Rogue | Lake Ontario, Oswego Co. | 6/10/1997 |
Trout, Lake | 41 lb. 8 oz. | 42.75 | Jesse Wykstra | NK Spoon | Lake Erie, Chautauqua Co. | 8/9/2003 |
Trout, Rainbow | 31 lb. 3 oz. | 39 | Robert Wilson | Joe's Pirate Crystalina | Lake Ontario, Niagara Co. | 8/14/2004 |
Trout, Splake | 13 lb. 8 oz. | 31 | Jonathan Simon | Rapala | Limekiln Lake, Herkimer Co. | 6/27/2004 |
Walleye | 18 lb. 2 oz. | 32 | Brian Hartman | Swimbait | St. Lawrence River, St. Lawrence Co. | 5/5/2018 |
Whitefish, Lake | 10 lb. 8 oz. | 27.87 | Randolph Smith | Worm & Spinner | Lake Pleasant, Hamilton Co. | 8/29/1995 |
***Retired Historical State Records*** | ||||||
Eel, American | 7 lb. 14 oz. | n/a | Larry Manino | Nightcrawler | Cayuga Lake, Seneca Co. | 7/25/1984 |
Pickerel, Redfin | 2 lb. 1 oz. | n/a | Duane Gillespie | Do Jigger | Lake Champlain, Essex Co. | 3/5/1989 |
Salmon, Kokanee | 3 lb. 6 oz. | 21.5 | Kenneth Shear | Wobbler & Worm | Boy Scouts Clear Pond, Franklin Co. | 6/14/2002 |
Salmon, Pink | 4 lb. 15 oz. | n/a | Randy Nyberg | Johnson Sprite | Lake Erie, Chautauqua Co. | 9/16/1985 |
Sauger | 4 lb. 8 oz. | 22.19 | Darrin Schwenkbeck | Gitzit | Lower Niagara River, Niagara Co. | 9/30/1990 |
Striped Bass | 60 lb. 0 oz. | 53 | Eric Lester | Blood Worm | Hudson River, Orange Co. | 5/14/2014 |
Striped Bass, Hybrid | 15 lb. 5 oz. | 26.5 | Bryan Colley | Sawbelly | Lake Waccabuc, Westchester Co. | 7/30/2004 |
My First Fish Certificate - DIY!
2023 Award Winners
Take a peek at the winning catches for the 2023 Angler Achievement Awards Program!