Brown Bullhead in New York
Finding brown bullhead, keeping them legally, and the record.
- n/alimit
- 7 lb 6 ozrecord
Pick for bullheadPiscifun LumiCat II catfish rod48% OFFSale $114.99 Photo of the species, not a New York water: George Chernilevsky, CC BY-SA 4.0
brown bullhead across New York: rules, record and water
For DEC purposes brown bullhead is freshwater, and its rules sit in no table of its own.
New York’s record stands at 7 lb 6 oz, landed on Lake Mahopac in 2009. 2 lakes and streams covered here carry it on the DEC lists.
DEC’s beginner guide gives the usual size as 8-14 in./ grow to 21 in. Brown bullhead are among the few fish species where both parents spend a lot of time caring for their young.
Size note and fact from the DEC I FISH NY beginner guide (I FISH NY Beginners' Guide to Freshwater Fishing, Chapter 1 Fishes of New York (DEC, 2016)).
For the bullhead herePiscifun Chaos XS round baitcaster36% OFFSale $57.99 Biggest brown bullhead in the DEC record book
| Entry | Weight | Angler | Water | County | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bullhead, Brown | 7 lb 6 oz | Glenn Collacuro | Lake Mahopac | Putnam | August 1, 2009 |
DEC state record fish table, DEC Current NY State Record Fish table, as of December 10, 2025; retrieved October 24, 2026.
New York water that holds brown bullhead
Reservoirs and lakes with brown bullhead
- Lake Mahopac598 acres
- Shaver Pond43 acres
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Rivers lists, DEC trout reaches, stocking lists and state records; largest waters first.
Species that share a category with brown bullhead
- Largemouth Bassfreshwater
- Smallmouth Bassfreshwater
- Rock Bassfreshwater
- White Bassfreshwater
- Walleyefreshwater
- Saugerfreshwater
- Northern Pikefreshwater
- Chain Pickerelfreshwater
- Muskellungefreshwater
- Tiger Muskellungefreshwater
- Yellow Perchfreshwater
- Black Crappiefreshwater
Empire State water close to Brown Bullhead, in pictures
Photo: Ruhrfisch, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: dans362, CC BY 3.0
Brown bullhead from the Adirondacks to Long Island: answers
Which DEC row sets the brown bullhead limit?
Only the catch-all line for other fish applies.
When was the New York brown bullhead record set?
7 lb 6 oz from Lake Mahopac, caught by Glenn Collacuro (August 1, 2009).
Where in New York do brown bullhead turn up most?
2 water pages here list it, starting with Lake Mahopac and Shaver Pond.
Does DEC stock brown bullhead?
No stocking row names it.
Is brown bullhead a freshwater or a marine fish in New York?
Freshwater on the DEC list.
Is the New York brown bullhead season open now?
No season row is printed.
Which New York license should a brown bullhead angler buy?
Anglers 16 and older need a DEC freshwater fishing license: $25.00 a year for residents, $50.00 for nonresidents, $5.00 for residents 70 and older, with 1-day and 7-day options.
Which DEC page covers brown bullhead?
From the 2026 DEC regulation pages and the state record table, read October 24, 2026 and checked again October 25, 2026.
Target brown bullhead this season
Each water listed above has launches, species and limits on its own page.