For the eighth time in nine years, the state fishing record for brook trout has been broken.

Rick Beauchamp, of Mayfield, Fulton County, now holds that honor after catching a 22.5-inch brookie on May 15.

Beauchamp, 66, landed his lunker while fishing Silver Lake in Hamilton County in the Adirondack's Silver Lake Wilderness. He caught it on a Lake Clear Wabbler and worm. It weighed slightly more than 6 pounds, surpassing the previous state record set in 2012 by two ounces.

The previous record holder was William Altman of Athol, who caught a 21-inch; 5-pound, 14- ounce brook trout in the West Canada Lakes Wilderness, also in Hamilton County. Altman also caught his fish using a Lake Clear Wabbler lure and worm rig.



See story, picture and audio interview of previous record holder.

Beauchamp's story began early that morning when he and Al Cheney, his fishing buddy who lives in Gloversville, hiked some 8 miles into the small lake. They carried a light-weight, 12-foot, Radissan canoe weighing a little more than 35 pounds.

"It took us about 3 hours to get there," Beauchamp said, noting when they arrived, the wind was blowing and the water was covered with white caps.

Ignoring the conditions, the two launched their canoe and began slowly trolling around it. When the big fish hit, Beauchamp said, he felt like he'd snagged bottom. At the same time, Cheney also excitedly announced he had a big fish on.

The two anglers fought their fish side by side in the small canoe, struggling with the wind and the closeness to shore with its overhanging tree branches. While fighting his fish, Beauchamp said he helped net Cheney's brookie, which turned out to be 21 1/2 inches long and weighed 5.88 pounds.

Shortly after, Cheney netted Beauchamp's fish. The two then paddled to shore, held up their fish and were amazed at their luck. Not only had they caught two, record-sized fish, but Beauchamp had also landed two other huge brook trout earlier that day, weighing 5.75 and 5.5 pounds.

Wrapping the four fish up in a wet towel, the two began their three-hour trek back to their vehicle. Beauchamp, realizing he had a special fish, took it over to Hoss's County Corner, a general store in Long Lake, to get it weighed on an official scale.

The following day, Beauchamp said he drove it to the state Department of Environmental Conservation office in Ray Brook and turned it over to officials there. He said DEC staff plan to have it mounted with his name on it to hang on their office wall.

"I got a good, 8- by 10-inch picture of it and it's hanging on the wall at my camp. That's all I need," he said.

Beauchamp insists he's caught bigger brook trout fishing in the Adirondacks.

"Heck, about 10-15 years ago, I caught one 27 inches, and another 25 1/4 inches. Never bothered to weigh them," he said. "Geez, with all this record stuff going on, I just thought maybe this time we'd better enter it."

According to the DEC, the fish is not only a success for Beauchamp, "it also reflects the ongoing recovery of Adirondack lakes from the effects of acid rain. Until a few years ago, Silver Lake was too acidified to support a trout population.

"In 1969 the lake was determined to be fishless and in 1976 it had a pH of 5.0 which is too acidic for brook trout to thrive. After water chemistry samples indicated the pH of lake had risen to almost 6.0, DEC began an experimental stocking program for brook trout in 2002. Currently DEC stocks Windfall strain native brook trout in Silver Lake and brook trout are the only fish species known to be present."

Beauchamp turned in details about his catch as part of DEC's Angler Achievement Awards Program. Through this program, anglers can enter freshwater fish that meet specific qualifying criteria and receive official recognition of their catch and a distinctive lapel pin commemorating their achievement.

The three categories that make up the program are: Catch & Release, Annual Award and State Record.

Information about the Angler Achievement Awards Program, including past winners and a downloadable application form, can be found on the DEC website or by contacting DEC Bureau of Fisheries by phone at (518) 402-8891 or e-mail at fwfish@gw.dec.state.ny.us

Program details and an official entry form can also be found in DEC's current Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide.