White perch, a native relative of the esteemed striped bass, are perhaps the hardest-fighting panfish in the Northeast. They are widely available in freshwater lakes and reservoirs, and in the brackish waters of tidal rivers where they feed on small baitfish, like Atlantic silversides, and crustaceans, like grass shrimp. From the Chesapeake Bay to Maine, they’re highly sought after by light-tackle anglers—especially during the fall and winter months—due to their vast distribution, schooling behavior, and tasty fillets.
The average white perch measures between 7 and 12 inches long and weighs under a pound, but in estuaries and large, deep bodies of fresh water, anglers occasionally encounter perch that exceed the 1-pound mark. Surely, when Yongfeng Tian of Brooklyn landed a fish twice the size of an above average perch on November 23, he knew it was a potential record breaker.
Tian submitted the catch details to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Angler Achievement Awards Program and, shortly thereafter, his 3-pound, 4-ounce white perch was certified as the new state record. The previous record, set in September of 1991 by Joe Tansey, was a mere 3 ounces lighter than Tian’s fish and came from Lake Oscaleta—less than 10 miles away from Cross River Reservoir, where Tian reeled in his trophy white perch.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that a fourth fish species officially qualified as a State record catch this year. On November 23, Yongfeng Tian of Brooklyn reeled in a 3-pound, 4-ounce white perch from Cross River Reservoir in Westchester County. Mr. Tian’s record-breaking catch surpassed the previous state record white perch caught in 1991 by 3 ounces.
Yongfeng Tian of Brooklyn poses with his record-breaking perch from Cross River Reservoir. (Photo courtesy of NYSDEC)
“This latest State record is a testament to the incredible fishing opportunities that New York State’s waters provide,” said DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton. “I would like to congratulate Mr. Tian on an impressive catch, and encourage all New Yorkers to visit DEC’s website to find an opportunity near you to catch the next record fish.”
White perch are a common freshwater fish found in lakes and rivers throughout the state, including the Hudson River. White perch are known for their schooling behavior and once located, can provide a lot of action. They can be caught on a variety of small baits and lures, such as jigs, worms, and minnows.
Mr. Tian submitted details of his winning catch as part of DEC’s newly revamped Angler Achievement Awards Program, which tracks State record fish and recognizes anglers who catch any of the 40 eligible fish species that meet or exceed the minimum qualifying lengths established for that species. Through this program, anglers can enter freshwater fish that meet specific qualifying criteria and receive official recognition of their catch, along with a species-specific sticker commemorating their achievement.
The program’s three categories are Angler Award, Youth Angler Award, and State Record Award. As part of the program revamp, anglers can now submit entries for qualifying catches from the convenience of their smartphone through an online entry form. For official program rules, eligible species, and associated minimum qualifying lengths, visit the Angler Achievement Awards webpage.
The program further supports Governor Kathy Hochul’s “Get Offline, Get Outside” initiative that promotes physical and mental health by helping encourage New York State’s kids and families to put down their phones and computers, take a break from social media, and enjoy recreation and outdoor social gatherings.
Anglers are encouraged to check out the Tackle Box feature in DEC’s HuntFishNY app that provides one-stop shopping for information on access sites, fish stocking, regulations, and more.
One response to “Massive White Perch Shatters 34-Year-Old New York State Record”
edvalitutto
Great catch and congrats! Since the article did not include the length, I went to the NYS records and saw it listed as 15.6″. That surprised me since club members (Village Harbour Fishing Club) regularly catch White Perch in southern NJ at 13, 14 and even had one at 15″ but nowhere near that weight!
Great catch and congrats! Since the article did not include the length, I went to the NYS records and saw it listed as 15.6″. That surprised me since club members (Village Harbour Fishing Club) regularly catch White Perch in southern NJ at 13, 14 and even had one at 15″ but nowhere near that weight!