Angler reels in ‘big one’ — and ends up with catch big enough to break 37-year record
A 37-year-old record was broken when an angler reeled in a big fish from a New York lake, officials said.
James Britenbaugh of Pennsylvania caught a largemouth bass July 11 in Cayuga Lake, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said in a July 22 news release.
Britenbaugh was preparing for a bass tournament when he caught the 12-pound, 6-ounce fish, officials said.
It beat the previous record from 1987 by 1 pound and 2 ounces, officials said.
Average-sized largemouth bass typically weigh 1 to 2 pounds, so anything over 5 pounds is deemed a “big one” in New York, according to wildlife officials.
The fish prefer shallow and weedy areas in lakes, ponds and rivers. Officials said they are considered an easy catch.
Cayuga Lake is about a 70-mile drive southwest from Syracuse.
Another fish record was recently set in New York.
Chuck Zimmerman hooked a “monster” longnose gar June 21 from Butterfield Lake in Jefferson County, McClatchy News reported.
This story was originally published July 23, 2024 at 6:24 PM with the headline "Angler reels in ‘big one’ — and ends up with catch big enough to break 37-year record."
