St. Lawrence River muskie caught by New York angler is new C&R world record

It’s official! Derek Balmas, of Franklinville, N.Y. in Cattaraugus County, is now the proud holder of a world record muskellunge. His 135 centimeter (53.149-inch) St. Lawrence River muskie that he caught Nov. 8, 2022, out of Clayton is now the new world record catch-and-release muskie (based on length) through the International Game Fish Association (IGFA). If you are thinking how can a 53-inch fish be a world record, IGFA requires the measurement to take place from the tip of the nose to the inside fork of the tail. The final reading was 135 centimeters – a new record.