Above: Dante Piraino along with his 9-pound record-breaking smallmouth caught on the St. Lawrence River on September 22.
Again in July, a event angler caught the brand new state-record largemouth bass whereas fishing Cayuga Lake in New York. Simply two months later, one other document catch was made in New York waters, this time, a smallmouth bass caught from the St. Lawrence River. On Sept. 22, 2024, Dante Piraino of Baldwinsville, Onondaga County, caught a 9-pound smallmouth bass whereas fishing in a bass event.
From the NY DEC:
New York State Division of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar immediately introduced a brand new state document for smallmouth bass was set on Sept. 22, 2024. Utilizing a tender plastic lure, Dante Piraino of Baldwinsville, Onondaga County, reeled in a nine-pound smallmouth bass from the St. Lawrence River whereas fishing in a bass event hosted within the metropolis of Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence County. The record-breaking “smallie,” caught in 30 toes of water, surpassed the earlier state document caught from Cayuga Lake in 2022 by eight ounces.
“New York gives among the finest bass fishing within the nation and Mr. Piraino’s unbelievable catch is a testomony to the excellent angler alternatives throughout the state,” Interim Commissioner Mahar mentioned. “There’s nothing higher than spending time with household and buddies on the water pursuing these thrilling sportfish. DEC encourages these fishing in New York’s world class waters to take a look at the Angler Achievement Awards Program earlier than their subsequent journey.”
Pound for pound, smallmouth bass are thought of one of many hardest-fighting freshwater fish in New York. When hooked, they are going to usually take acrobatic leaps out of the water, making them a extremely fascinating sportfish for anglers. Smallmouth bass may be discovered throughout the state in cooler lakes, rivers, and creeks in rocky/gravelly areas. Except for the famed St. Lawrence River, among the finest smallmouth bass waters in New York embody Lake Erie/Higher Niagara River, Lake Champlain, Cayuga Lake, Oneida Lake, and Chautauqua Lake. Lake George, Mohawk River, Susquehanna River, Decrease Niagara River, and Keuka Lake are additionally nice choices.
The smallmouth bass document comes just a few months after a brand new state document for largemouth bass was set on July 11, 2024. James Britenbaugh of Pennsylvania reeled within the record-breaking 12-pound, 6-ounce largemouth bass from Cayuga Lake, Cayuga County. Earlier this 12 months, a brand new state document for longnose gar was set. On June 21, 2024, Chuck Zimmerman of Hilton, Monroe County, reeled in a 15-pound, 14-ounce longnose gar from Butterfield Lake, Jefferson County.
Mr. Piraino and the opposite record-holders submitted particulars of their profitable catches as a part of DEC’s revamped Angler Achievement Awards Program, which tracks state document fish. By this program, anglers can enter freshwater fish that meet particular qualifying standards and obtain official recognition of their catch together with a species-specific sticker commemorating their achievement. This system’s three classes are: Angler Award, Youth Angler Award, and State Document. As a part of this system revamp, anglers can now submit entries for qualifying catches from the comfort of their good telephones by means of a web based entry kind.
