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DEC names award-winning fish of 2016

Patrick Hildebrand shows off his state-record-tying 8-pound, 4-ounce smallmouth bass he caught in the St. Lawrence River last summer. (Photo courtesy of DEC)

One new state fishing record was set and a 21-year-old record was tied during last year’s fishing season, the state Department of Environmental Conservation announced last week.

More than 130 entries were submitted in 2016 to DEC’s Angler Achievement Awards, which recognizes notable fish caught each year and tracks state records.

Last year, a more than two-decade-old record was tied when Patrick Hildebrand caught an 8-pound, 4-ounce smallmouth bass in the St. Lawrence River on Aug. 28. (Editor’s note: A previous version of this sentence incorrectly said the fish was a largemouth bass.)

Amelia Whalen set a new state record for freshwater drum when she landed a 29-pound, 14-ounce monster in Lake Champlain early in June last year.

Thirty-nine of New York’s 62 counties were represented in the submissions last year, with Essex County, making it into the top five.

Amelia Whalen, right, landed this state-record freshwater drum in Lake Champlain early in June 2016. The fish weighed in at 29 pounds, 14 ounces. (Photo provided by DEC)

“The fact that more than 75 percent of the fish entered into the program were caught and subsequently released is particularly noteworthy and reflective of the stewardship ethic of our anglers,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said in a press release.

For a full list of last year’s biggest fish, go to www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7727.html.

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