New York State Record White Perch Caught in Westchester County

A late November journey to a quiet Westchester County reservoir has produced New York’s latest state fishing report, and one of the crucial spectacular white perch ever documented within the Northeast.

In keeping with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Brooklyn angler Yongfeng Tian landed a 3-pound, 4-ounce white perch on November 23 whereas fishing the Cross River Reservoir. The fish eclipsed the earlier state report, which had stood since 1991, by simply three ounces.

DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton stated the catch highlights the standard of fishing accessible throughout the state’s public waters and inspired anglers to reap the benefits of New York’s various fisheries.

White perch are widespread all through New York’s lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and tidal techniques, together with the Hudson River. Identified for his or her education habits, they’re fashionable gentle deal with targets that readily strike small jigs, worms, and minnows. Most white perch measure underneath a pound, which makes Tian’s fish, greater than twice the dimensions of a median specimen, particularly exceptional.

Tian was fishing alone from a 12-foot rowboat when he marked a college of fish close to a drop-off in about 35 ft of water utilizing a transportable depth finder. Fishing clear water with temperatures within the 40s, he forged a small 1/8-ounce crimson plastic-tail jig on gentle spinning gear spooled with six-pound check line.

After touchdown a number of one-pound white perch, Tian hooked a a lot heavier fish that repeatedly dove towards the underside. When he lastly netted it, he initially thought it could be a carp. A better look confirmed it was an unusually giant white perch.

After weighing the fish on licensed scales at a Brooklyn grocery store, Tian drove to a state conservation workplace the place the species and weight had been formally verified. The perch was then licensed as New York’s new state report.

Tian submitted his catch by DEC’s revamped Angler Achievement Awards Program, which acknowledges anglers who meet or exceed qualifying sizes for 40 eligible species. Submissions can now be accomplished on-line utilizing a smartphone, making the method extra accessible for anglers throughout the state.

New York officers say this system helps the state’s broader effort to encourage residents to get outdoor and interact with native recreation alternatives.

As for the report fish, Tian has no plans to place it on the dinner desk.

“I’ve bought it frozen, however I’m not going to eat it,” he stated. “I’m going to have a mount made from the fish.”

Keith Lusher

Keith Lusher is an award-winning outside journalist who resides in Covington, Louisiana. He owns and operates NorthshoreFishingReport.com and writes a weekly outside column for the Slidell Impartial Newspaper. He additionally writes for the St.Tammany Parish Tourism Fee’s VisitTheNorthshore.com. He’s the previous host of The Northshore Fishing Report Radio Present and is on the board of the Louisiana Out of doors Writers Affiliation. Keith contributes to quite a few publications each on-line and in print and prides himself on selling South Louisiana’s distinctive fishery. To contact Keith electronic mail: keithlusherjr@gmail.com