The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced the first state record fish of the year. On May 3, while shorefishing with his son, Dylan Kampnich of Dexter reeled in a 37-pound 9-ounce channel catfish from Black River Bay in Jefferson County. Mr. Kampnich’s record-breaking catch surpassed the previous state record catfish caught in 2022, also from the Black River, by 13 ounces.
“We are so fortunate to have incredibly diverse and affordable fishing opportunities across the state,” DEC Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton said. “Congratulations to Mr. Kampnich on his record-breaking catfish. This catch is a great example of what New York’s abundant waterways have to offer and the thrilling news of this catch will certainly get anglers excited about getting on the water this season.”
