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.
This content is restricted to subscribers of OutdoorNews.com. If you are already an OutdoorNews.com subscriber, you can log in here. If you are not and would like to read this and all the other great content OutdoorNews.com has to offer, click here.


