New York's record for the largest longnose gar ever caught was broken at Butterfield Lake.
According to Fox News, On June 21, at Butterfield Lake in Jefferson County, the record fish was caught. The 15-pound, 14-ounce longnose gar was caught by Chuck Zimmerman. Zimmerman caught the fish on a topwater swimbait.
The longnose gar, while not generally identified as a sport fish, is easily identified with its long, thin nose and sharp, razor-like teeth. The species dates back to the Cretaceous Period, which started roughly 145 million years ago. The fish, being so ancient, are known as living dinosaurs, on an evolution scale, by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC.)
DEC
The longnose gar is known to swim atop the water's surface, often in shallow, weedy areas. In New York, the St. Lawrence River, Niagara River, Lake Champlain, and eastern Lake Ontario, are the bodies of water that the species are known to frequent. Obviously, after a record catch, Butterfield Lake is sure to garner more attention for its longnose gar population.
Record-Setting Longnose Gar Caught in New York
Sean Mahar, Interim Commissioner of the DEC, officially announced the new record in a July 12th press release. Notably, Zimmerman's gar was a whopping 1-pound, 4 ounces larger than the previous record. The previous record had been set in 2018, at Lake Champlain.
Zimmerman had entered his catch into the DEC Angler Achievement Awards Program, which is when the record became official.
Mahar used the press release for the record as an opportunity to promote the "world-class fishing opportunities" across New York. "From the Hudson River to the St. Lawrence River, Lake George to Chautauqua Lake, New York waterways support strong, healthy fish populations," said Mahar.
New York just recently made even more headlines in the fishing world. Earlier this summer, a massive Atlantic Sturgeon was pulled out of the Hudson River.
The state continues to prove it is more than just forgotten land surrounding one of the world's greatest cities. With excellent fishing in both fresh and salt water, New York is well-known to fishermen. Moreover, with strong populations of deer, turkeys and waterfowl, New York offers plenty of hunting opportunities as well. All in all, New York is a gem of often-forgotten wildlife.
