GREENWOOD LAKE, N.Y. — A 45-pound muskellunge caught while ice fishing on Greenwood Lake will not qualify for a New Jersey state record after officials determined the fish was landed in New York waters.
The catch was made by angler Victor Gelman, who later brought the fish to the Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery to be weighed on a certified scale and submitted an application for the New Jersey State Record Fish Program.
The application was reviewed by staff from multiple divisions within the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Fish & Wildlife program. Officials concluded the fish was hooked and landed on the New York side of the lake, making it ineligible under program rules.
Greenwood Lake spans the border between New Jersey and New York, and eligibility for record programs depends on where the fish is caught. Officials said the determination is consistent with how New York would review similar applications for shared waters.
Despite the ruling, officials described the catch as notable and praised it as an example of freshwater fishing success.
The fish was likely raised and stocked by staff at the Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery, highlighting ongoing efforts to support fishing opportunities in the region, officials said.
