Warwick angler’s 45-pound musky could challenge N.J. state record

A massive musky caught through the ice on Feb. 28 could set a new New Jersey state record, though questions remain about exactly where the fish was landed.

Viktor Gelman, a resident of Warwick, N.Y., caught the 45.02-pound musky while ice fishing on Greenwood Lake, which straddles the New York and New Jersey border. State officials are reviewing the catch to determine whether it qualifies as a New Jersey record, which would require that the fish be caught in New Jersey waters.

If certified, Gelman’s musky would surpass the current New Jersey record of 42.13 pounds, held by Bob Neal since 1997, after catching his fish at Monksville Reservoir.

The situation is complicated by the lake’s shared jurisdiction. Greenwood Lake is stocked by hatcheries in both states, though muskies are specifically stocked by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Fish & Wildlife division through the Hackettstown Hatchery.

Gelman, who said he has been fishing “ever since I can remember,” landed the fish using traditional ice-fishing equipment.

“I used standard ice fishing gear and bait for large, toothy predators,” he said. “A tip-up, large live bait, steel leader and heavy-duty hooks.”

While musky fishing is one of his favorite pursuits, Gelman said he enjoys catching a variety of freshwater species available locally, including walleye, landlocked salmon, bass and crappie.

Gelman said the fight to bring in the fish was intense.

“Bringing the fish in was like playing tug of war with a Rottweiler,” he said, noting that he was fishing alone when he landed the musky.

When the fish weighed in at 45.02 pounds, Gelman said his reaction was immediate.

“Yessssssss! State record!” he recalled thinking.

The catch may top one of Gelman’s previous memorable moments on the water. While fishing on the St. Lawrence River, he once caught two muskies measuring about 52 inches within 15 minutes of each other, both of which he released.

Gelman said he releases nearly all of the fish he catches unless the fish is unlikely to survive.

“I release 99.99 percent of everything that I catch,” he said. “I would even have released this current pending state record if I believed that it was likely to survive.”

Gelman owns the Warwick Chocolate Factory in Warwick, where a photo of his St. Lawrence River musky hangs on the wall. He said he often spoke with customers about his goal of catching an even larger musky in Greenwood Lake.

“Many of our customers ask about the fish, and I’ve told hundreds of them that I dream of catching a bigger fish out of Greenwood Lake,” he said. “When I finally did it, I couldn’t believe it actually happened.”

The musky was donated to the Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery for examination as part of the certification process. Gelman said he plans to have the fish mounted and displayed in his shop if it is officially recognized as the new state record.

If not, he said he may simply return to the water in search of another giant.

“I made a promise to the customers in my chocolate shop to catch a bigger musky from Greenwood Lake,” he said. “I fulfilled that promise and am very grateful and happy.”

Officials with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection are still reviewing the catch to determine whether it meets the requirements for the state record. Regardless of the outcome, Gelman said he appreciates the work of the state’s fisheries program.

“It is only because of their vision and efforts that an everyday angler such as myself is able to target and catch world-class fish such as this extraordinary musky,” he said.

For now, anglers across New York and New Jersey are watching closely as the state decides whether Gelman’s catch will rewrite the record books.