How A New York Man Caught A Record-Breaking 'Monster' Fish

A young New York fisherman reeled in a "monster" catfish which broke a New York State record. Here's how he caught it.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos recently announced that the New York State catfish record was broken.

"New York has an abundance of quality habitat that supports healthy fish populations and provides outstanding angling opportunities, and Mr. Williams' catch is a great example," DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos stated in a press release. "I encourage those fishing in New York to check out the Angler Achievement Awards Program before your next fishing trip. It's an exciting program designed to recognize sizable catches and shed light on where quality fishing opportunities exist around our State.

Watertown, New York Man Sets New York State Catfish Record

DEC

Bailey Williams of Watertown, New York reeled in a 35-pound, 12-ounce channel catfish from the Black River in Jefferson County. Williams caught the record-breaking catfish on May 8. It marked the first New York State fish record to be broken during the 2022 fishing season.

The DEC called the catfish a "Monster." Williams used cut bait while bottom fishing to snag the record-breaking catfish, according to the DEC.

"Channel catfish are the largest catfish that live in New York. They feed primarily on the bottom at night and are most easily caught using live bait such as worms or baitfish. When hooked, catfish can provide a challenge for even the most experienced angler," the DEC stated in a press release.

Record-Breaking Catfish Caught in Black River, Jefferson County, New York.

DEC

Bailey's record-breaking catfish, which weighed in at 35 pounds and 12 ounces surpassed the previous New York State record catfish, caught from Lake Ontario in 2017, by 9 ounces, according to the DEC.

"Mr. Williams submitted details of his winning catch as part of DEC's Angler Achievement Awards Program, which tracks State-record fish. Through this program, anglers can enter freshwater fish that meet specific qualifying criteria and receive official recognition of their catch and an embroidered patch commemorating their achievement. The three categories that make up the program are: Catch and Release, Annual Award, and State Record," the DEC added.

In 2022, a number of new fishing regulations took effect in New York State.

Some of the changes include:

You can see the full list of changes by CLICK Here:

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See what sort of animals could be waking up in your Hudson Valley neighborhood in March and April.