Not a bad way to kick off the opening day of bass season. With a record-breaking fish.

Thomas Russell Jr., of Albion, New York set a New York State record for smallmouth bass. He reeled in an eight-pound, six-ounce from Cayuga Lake in Seneca County on June 15, the opening day of bass season. It beat the previous record by two ounces, which was a tie between fish caught on Lake Erie in 1995, and in the St. Lawrence River in 2016.

Credit - NYS DEC
Credit - NYS DEC
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"Smallmouth bass are one of New York's most popular freshwater sportfish and it's exciting to share the great news of Mr. Russell's record-breaking catch," New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos said.

Hardest Fighting Freshwater Fish

Smallmouth bass are considered to be one of the hardest-fighting freshwater fish in New York. When hooked, they will often leap out of the water, making them a highly desirable sportfish for anglers to target. They can be found in cooler lakes, rivers, and creeks in rocky/gravelly areas. For more information on where to find smallmouth bass, visit the DEC's Places to Fish and Warmwater Fishing webpages.

bass fishing with Bass Pro Shops Crayfish
stammphoto/Think Stock
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Second State Record

This is the second state record this year. Bailey Williams of Watertown, New York reeled in a massive 35-pound, 12-ounce catfish from the Black River in Jefferson County on May 8. And he did it from his kayak.

NYS DEC
NYS DEC
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First Time Angler Reels in Monster

First-time angler Chelsea Giovo may not have reeled in a record but she sure caught an adventure of a lifetime during a day on Lake Ontario.

Giovo caught a salmon that took her 40 minutes to reel in and ended up tipping the scale at 35.2 pounds. "I don’t think I could top my first fishing experience, that was truly a lifetime memory. To go out with a group of friends, with no expectations, and end up covered in fish slime and I didn’t even care. I will definitely be going fishing again."

Credit - Jeff Wallace via Facebook
Credit - Jeff Wallace via Facebook
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