24 Largest Fish Ever Caught in New York

Special Report

Published: December 27, 2023 9:50 am

For residents outside the state, New York City is the first (and, perhaps, the only) thing that comes to mind when considering New York State. The Big Apple casts a big shadow, no doubt. However, there is so much more to New York State than its largest city. The state features beautiful mountains, lush forests, and lovely coastal regions. The waters in New York State provide some of the finest fishing opportunities in the nation.

New York State boasts over 7,600 freshwater ponds, lakes, and reservoirs. Portions of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario lie within the state’s borders. Over 70,000 miles of streams and rivers flow through the Empire State. As a coastal state, New Yorkers also have easy access to the rich waters of the Atlantic. New York State offers boundless options for anglers, ranging from fly fishing to ice fishing. Fishermen and fisherwomen can cast a line into a small pond, the vast waters of the Great Lakes, or the depths of the Atlantic. (Speaking of the Great Lakes, here’s a look at the 25 largest fish ever caught in Michigan.)

State and World Record Fish

Here’s a look at the largest freshwater and saltwater fish ever caught in New York State. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in New York is the official holder of the state’s fishing records and was the sole source of information for all of the record-setting fish listed below. World record information was corroborated by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), the official verifier and keeper of world fishing records.

The following list contains every New York State freshwater fishing record over 20 pounds and every saltwater record over 200 pounds, including the largest fish ever caught in New York waters. This is far from a cut-and-dry report on the state’s fishing records, though. While the New York State records for most species are undisputed, both the largest freshwater and the largest saltwater fish in New York history are quite controversial.

Freshwater Fish

North-South Lake in the Catskills Mountains is one of New York’s many picturesque lakes.

Freshwater anglers have a bounty of riches at their disposal in New York. The state’s beautiful lakes and rivers are teeming with fish. Here are 13 of the largest freshwater fish ever reeled in from these waters.

13. Atlantic Salmon

An angler prepares to release a fall run Atlantic Salmon back to the river to spawn — The Atlantic salmon is a native migratory salmon in New York.

Weight: 24 pounds, 15 ounces
Length: 35 inches
Lure: Bomber Long A
Water: Lake Ontario, Wayne Co.
Angler: Mike Dandino
Date: April 5, 1997

12. Rainbow Trout

Area trout fishing. Caught rainbow trout fish in water on hook — Rainbow trout are not native to New York but were introduced to the state’s waters in the 1870’s.

Weight: 31 pounds, 3 ounces
Length: 39 inches
Lure: Joe’s Pirate Crystalina
Water: Lake Ontario, Niagara Co.
Angler: Robert Wilson
Date: August 14, 2004

11. Brown Trout

Brown trout jumping — Brown trout were imported from Europe in the 1880s and can now be found in waters throughout New York.

Weight: 33 pounds, 2 ounces
Length: 38 inches
Lure: Smithwick Rogue
Water: Lake Ontario, Oswego Co.
Angler: Tony Brown
Date: June 10, 1997

10. Coho Salmon

Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) — Coho salmon are Pacific salmon that have been stocked in all of the Great Lakes, including Lake Ontario where the New York record coho was caught.

Weight: 33 pounds, 7 ounces
Length: 41.9 inches
Lure: Cut Bait
Water: Lake Ontario, Oswego Co.
Angler: Stephen Sheets Jr.
Date: August 13, 1998

9. Tiger Muskellunge

Tiger muskellunge by BenitoJuarez98 — The tiger muskellunge is a hybridization of the muskellunge and the northern pike.

Weight: 35 pounds, 8 ounces
Length: 50 inches
Lure: Sucker
Water: Tioughnioga River, Broome Co.
Angler: Brett Gofgosky
Date: May 25, 1990

8. Channel Catfish

Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) — The channel catfish is the largest catfish species native to New York State.

Weight: 35 pounds, 12 ounces
Length: 40 inches
Lure: Cut Bait
Water: Black River, Jefferson County
Angler: Bailey Williams
Date: May 8, 2022

7. Freshwater Drum

Freshwater Drum also known as a Sheephead — The freshwater drum is commonly known as the “sheepshead” among anglers.

Weight: 36 pounds
Length: 42.75 inches
Lure: Rapala Jigging Rap
Water: Oneida Lake, Oneida Co.
Angler: Jason Bair
Date: June 16, 2017

6. Lake Trout

Lake trout caught and released while fly fishing on a summer afternoon in Alberta — The lake trout is not a true trout, but rather the largest of the chars.

Weight: 41 pounds, 8 ounces
Length: 42.75 inches
Lure: NK Spoon
Water: Lake Erie, Chautauqua Co.
Angler: Jesse Wykstra
Date: August 9, 2003

5. Northern Pike

The Northern Pike - Esox Lucius. Underwater photo of giant fish from freshwater lake. Animals and wildlife theme. — New York is a haven for large northern pike.

Weight: 46 pounds, 2 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Lure: Heddon Flaptail
Water: Great Sacandaga Lake, Fulton Co.
Angler: Peter Dubuc
Date: September 15, 1940

4. Chinook Salmon

Close-Up of a Chinook Salmon During Spawning — The chinook salmon is another Pacific salmon species introduced to the Great Lakes.

Weight: 47 pounds, 13 ounces
Length: 48 inches
Lure: Orange Fly
Water: Salmon River, Oswego Co.
Angler: Kurtis Killian
Date: September 7, 1991

3. Common Carp

Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) by Dezidor — Common carp are native to Eurasia and are among the most widespread invasive species in the U.S.

Weight: 50 pounds, 6 ounces
Length: 44.5 inches
Lure: Nightcrawler
Water: Tomhannock Reservoir, Rensselaer Co.
Angler: Charles Primeau, Sr.
Date: May 12, 1995

2. Striped Bass

Weight: 60 pounds
Length: 53 inches
Lure: Blood Worm
Water: Hudson River, Orange Co.
Angler: Eric Lester
Date: May 14, 2014

The striped bass was adopted as New York’s official state saltwater fish in 2006. However, it is also listed as the second largest freshwater fish recorded in New York’s DEC records. This seeming contradiction is not a contradiction at all, though. The striped bass lives in saltwater, but moves to freshwater to spawn. Because of its ability to thrive in either environment, “stripers” have been stocked in many freshwater lakes throughout the U.S.

1. Muskellunge

Source: M Huston / Shutterstock.com

The muskie is known as the “fish of 10,000 casts” because of its elusive nature.

Weight: 69 pounds, 15 ounces
Length: 64.5 inches
Lure: Unavailable
Water: St. Lawrence River, Jefferson Co.
Angler: Arthur Lawton
Date: September 22, 1957

A muskellunge (typically known as a “muskie” among anglers) from 1957 holds the record for the largest freshwater fish ever caught in New York State. However, there is a surprising amount of controversy surrounding this catch.

Arthur “Art” Lawton purportedly caught this gigantic muskie in the St. Lawrence River. The river marks part of the boundary between New York and Canada as it flows from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the North Atlantic.

A New Record

Lawton’s fish was said to be just one ounce shy of 70 pounds. An average mature muskie weighs from 15-35 pounds, so a nearly 70-pound fish was a true monstrosity. In fact, this fish not only set the New York State record but it was also declared a new world record.

Lawton’s fish supplanted the previous world-record muskie (supposedly) caught by Louis Spray near Hayward, Wisconsin in October 1949. Spray was a bootlegger with alleged ties to organized crime. Conspiracy theories abound regarding Spray’s fish, including a rumor that he didn’t catch the fish, at all. Rather, it was said that he purchased the fish for $50 from Joey “The Doves” Aiuppa, who purportedly led Chicago’s crime syndicate. Aiuppa was said to be “on the lam” when he caught the muskie, so he couldn’t report the record-setting catch himself.

All of the rumors and conspiracy theories regarding Spray’s fish seemingly would be of little consequence, though, since Lawton had set a new world record with his New York State muskie. And, for 35 years, Lawton’s muskie did indeed sit atop the record books as the largest muskie ever caught.

Erased From the World Record Book

However, this story is fraught with twists and turns. An unexpected development in 1992 changed everything. Lawton did not mount his fish as a trophy. Rather, it was filleted and eaten. So, with no fish body to examine, photographs from 1957 were the only evidence of the catch. Using modern photographic analysis, IGFA determined that Lawton’s fish could not have possibly weighed 69 pounds, 15 ounces. The fish was disqualified and removed from the world record book in 1992.

IGFA was then pressured to apply the same analysis methods to Spray’s fish. The organization determined that this muskie’s weight was also falsified, so the world record muskie reverted to a fish caught by Cal Johnson in July 1949.

This brings us to today. The strangeness of this story continues to grow. A new entry for the muskellunge world record seems poised to take the crown. On September 18, 2023, Craig Olund reportedly caught a muskie in Ontario’s Lac Suel Lake that weighed 72 pounds, 2 ounces. This record is still pending final verification by IGFA, but since it is listed on the organization’s website, it seems likely that final approval is forthcoming. This would mark the first muskie ever documented that topped the mythical 70-pound barrier.

Still the State Record

Returning to where we started, though, Art Lawton’s fish is still listed as the New York State record by the DEC. The fish has been discredited by IGFA, as well as the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. New York’s DEC, however, has refused to delete the fish from its records. According to the official keeper of New York State fishing records, Lawton’s muskie remains the largest freshwater fish ever caught in the state. That claim is highly suspect, though.

Saltwater Fish

Montauk offers some incredible deep-sea fishing and has yielded multiple world-record fish.

Saltwater anglers have ready access to the Atlantic in New York. These waters have yielded some absurdly huge fish. Here’s a look at the biggest saltwater fish ever caught in New York State.

Note: an asterisk (*) denotes a record that has been retired due to the fish’s conservation status.

11. Yellowfin Tuna

Yellowfin by John Buie — The yellowfin tuna is named for its bright yellow fins.

Weight: 248.5 pounds
Angler: Bruce Weisinger
Date: September 9, 2002

10. Bigeye Tuna

Weight: 355 pounds
Angler: Richard Buechmann
Date: September 27, 1981

9. Porbeagle Shark

Porbeagle shark (Lamna nasus) by Enfo — The porbeagle shark is also known as the Atlantic mackerel shark.

Weight: 393 pounds
Angler: Robert Bruno
Date: August 23, 2014

8. Blue Shark

Blue shark at the Azores — The blue shark is a wide-ranging shark that is found in temperate and tropical waters throughout the world.

Weight: 528 pounds
Angler: Joe Seidel
Date: August 9, 2001

This New York state record blue shark is also the current world record.

7. Swordfish

Weight: 540 pounds
Angler: Dean Delle Donne
Date: September 8, 2006

6. Thresher Shark

Thresher sharks are carnivorous and primarily feed on small fish and squid. They use their tails to herd their prey and then strike them with their jaws. — Thresher sharks use their long tails to herd their prey and then strike them with their jaws.

Weight: 707 pounds
Angler: William Dittenhoefer, Jr.
Date: June 16, 2023

5. Bluefin Tuna*

Weight: 1,071 pounds
Angler: Larry Thompson
Date: August 21, 1977

4. Mako Shark*

Short fin mako shark swimming just under the surface, offshore, about 50 kilometres past Western Cape in South Africa. This picture was taken during a blue water baited shark dive. — The sleek body of the mako is one of the reasons why it is the fastest shark in the world.

Weight: 1,080 pounds
Angler: James Melanson
Date: August 26, 1979

3. Tiger Shark

Tiger Shark Up Close Full Body Shot. Stripes showing in clear blue water with white sandy bottom. Photo taken in The Bahamas. — The tiger shark is named for its tiger-like stripes, although those stripes fade as the shark matures.

Weight: 1,087 pounds
Angler: Ken Rafferty
Date: July 23, 1986

2. Blue Marlin*

Weight: 1,174 pounds
Angler: Bill Sweedler
Date: July 20, 1986

1. White Shark*

Weight: 3,450 pounds
Angler: Don Braddick
Date: August 6, 1986

This is the stuff legends, and even movies, are made of. On August 6, 1986, Don Braddick purportedly caught a great white shark weighing an utterly astonishing 3,450 pounds. The shark would enter the history books as the largest fish ever caught in New York State. It seemed like it would shatter the world record, then held by Alfred Dean who caught a 2,664-pound white shark in Australia in 1959. However, that 1959 shark still sits atop the world record book to this day. As with the largest freshwater fish in New York history, the story of the state’s largest saltwater fish is also a contentious tale.

Braddick joined up with legendary Captain Frank Mundus, a charter captain in Montauk who became known as “Monster Man” due to his ability to track down monster-sized sharks. Peter Benchley, who wrote the “Jaws” novel, joined Mundus on multiple shark fishing expeditions. Mundus was purportedly the inspiration behind the “Quint” character in the book that turned into the blockbuster movie.

A Record Denial

Mundus and Braddick joined forces on that early August day in 1986 when Mundus spotted sharks feeding on a whale carcass. Late in the afternoon, they hooked this white shark that would etch their names into the record book. Well, it would etch their name in one record book. Another would reject the catch.

This gargantuan white shark was, by some accounts, the largest fish ever caught on a rod and reel. It was certainly the biggest ever landed in New York State. However, IFGA refused to certify the catch even though it easily outweighed the previous world-record white shark. The reason for the disqualification is unclear, but there are two theories that are the most widely accepted.

The first, and potentially the most plausible, is that Braddick and Mundus split time manning the fishing rod after the shark was hooked. IGFA stipulates that only one angler can land a record fish, from the time the hook is set to the time the fish is secured. An article in Dan’s Papers claims that the record was denied because of its report that the two men teamed up to land the shark.

Another possible reason for IGFA’s denial of this record is illegal chumming. Since the shark was drawn to a whale carcass, that could have been interpreted as illegally chumming or baiting the shark into the area, thus breaking IGFA rules and nullifying the catch.

Again, New York’s DEC does not agree with the IGFA ruling. This great white shark from 1986 is listed in the official state record book as the largest fish ever caught in the state.

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