New York State fishing record broken with a 15-pound, 14-ounce fish

JEFFERSON COUNTY, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — A new New York State fishing record was set for longnose gar, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced.

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On June 21, Chuck Zimmerman, a native of Hilton in Monroe County, reeled in a 15-pound, 14-ounce longnose gar from Butterfield Lake in Jefferson County.

In New York, longnose gar are typically found in the St. Lawrence River, the Niagara River, Lake Champlain, and eastern Lake Ontario.

Longnose gars are also evolutionarily considered to be living dinosaurs, the DEC said.

Zimmerman was able to submit his catch to the DEC’s Angler Achievement Awards Program , which allows anglers to receive official recognition of their catch and qualify for state records.

From the Hudson River to the St. Lawrence River, Lake George to Chautauqua Lake, New York waterways support strong, healthy fish populations and provide world-class fishing opportunities for anglers of every level,” NYSDEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said. “DEC congratulates Mr. Zimmerman on an impressive catch and encourages all anglers to take advantage of the state’s plentiful fishing opportunities in the hopes they too can catch a new state record or other Angler Achievement Award when they cast their next line.”

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