WHAT STATE HAS THE BIGGEST YELLOW PERCH??....NJ..

[Badback]

I live in lake community in Alberta which has stocked trout...About ten years ago someone illegally stocked perch and with no predators the perch took over the small lake...A quick survey was completed and an estimate of over one million perch and due to the amount, they were stunted at 6 inches in lenght. A netting program started (see photo) where we posted to give the fish away after they were bonked on the head to prevent an other illegal stocking.  This winter the perch lenght has increased to 7 - 10 inches in length.  So as you can see from my pics, I would be happy with any of the perch from NY, PA, NJ and any other N.E. States!....

2009 - 2010 increased size

[fishook]

Before you NY boys go breaking your arms patting yourselves on the back for having the biggest perch of any state, have a look at these facts.
1) Another state has more inland lakes that regularly produce numbers of big perch than NY.
2) Another state has a record perch that is a full 1/4 lb heavier than NY's record perch!!
3) Another state has waters from 4 of the 5 great lakes within it's boundaries,  not just 2 like NY.

Posting piles of "slammer" perch is something we all enjoy seeing, but it hardly proves which state has the biggest perch. There are just 6 states in the USA whose record yellow perch is 3lbs+. ONE of those 6 record three pounders was over 17", so when someone posts a claim of a perch that is 18", 19", or even 20", we should all demand proof. THE LONGEST yellow perch ever recorded was 21" long and was caught in the state that has the biggest perch of them all. MICHIGAN!!!

[woody38]

that perch was caught a half hour from my house in 1947! 21 inches 3.75 pounds!

[jimmyclaude]

I demand to see a picture! 

[fishook]

Unfortunately it's so big that only the front end fits on a page this size. 

[jimmyclaude]

Michigan state records
Atlantic Salmon 32 lbs 9.92 oz 41" Lake Michigan  Elaine Bender 1981  
Black Buffalo 33 lbs  36.5" Grand River  BRADLEY JAMES NIETERING 2004  
Black Bullhead 3 lbs 7.04 oz 17" Magician Lake  Louie Keller 1999  
Black Crappie 4 lbs 1.92 oz   Lincoln Lake  Frank Lee 1947  
Bluegill Sunfish 2 lbs 12 oz 13.75" Vaughn Lake  Gary Saylor 1983  
Bowfin 14 lbs 0 oz 35" Little Crooked Lake  Michael Miller 1981  
Brook Trout 9 lbs 8 oz 28.1" Clear Lake  Dennis Nevins 1996  
Brown Bullhead 3 lbs 9.92 oz 17.5" Coldbrook Lake  Michael Kent 1989  
Brown Trout 34 lbs 9.92 oz 40.5" Lake Michigan  Larry E. Curtis 2000  
Burbot 18 lbs 4 oz 40" Saint Marys River Munuscong Bay Thomas Courtemanche 1980  
Carp 61 lbs 8 oz 47.5" Big Wolf Lake  Dale France 1974  
Carpsucker 8 lbs 0 oz 25.25" Stony Lake  Kevin V. Zoulek 2000  
Channel Catfish 40 lbs 0 oz 41.5" Houghton Lake  Richard French 1964  
Channel Catfish 40 lbs 0 oz   Houghton Lake  Dick Latarski 1960  
Chinook (King) Salmon 46 lbs 0.96 oz 43.5" Grand River  Ray Essex 1978  
Coho Salmon 30 lbs 8.96 oz 40" Platte River  Paul Lewandowski 1976  
Flathead Catfish 47 lbs 8 oz 44" Maple River  Elmer Rayner 1943  
Freshwater Drum 26 lbs 0 oz 37.5" Muskegon Lake  James Black 1973  
Gizzard Shad 4 lbs 1.92 oz 21" Saint Clair Lake  Gary Bielecki 1996  
Green Sunfish 1 lbs 8.48 oz 10" Kirkwood Lake  Julius R. Drotos 1990  
Hogsucker 2 lbs 8.64 oz 19" Saint Joseph River  Allen L. Shembarger 1994  
Hybrid Bass 10 lbs 12 oz 27.5" Kalamazoo River  Jeff Van Broklin 1996  
Hybrid Sunfish 1 lbs 7.04 oz 11.25" Arbutus Lake  James Manville 1988  
Hybrid Sunfish 1 lbs 7.04 oz 11.75" Doans Lake  Lloyd T. Jarman Jr. 1991  
Kokanee Salmon 1 lbs 15.04 oz 18" Clinton River  John Reiland 1978  
Lake Herring 5 lbs 6.4 oz 25" Lake Michigan E. Grand Traverse Bay Robert E. Rogers 1992  
Lake Sturgeon 193 lbs 0 oz 87" Mullett Lake  Joe Maka Jr. 1974  
Lake Trout 61 lbs 8 oz 49" Lake Superior  Lucas Lanczy 1997  
Lake Whitefish 14 lbs 4.48 oz 31.75" Lake Superior  Robert J. Majurin Jr. 1993  
Largemouth Bass 11 lbs 15.04 oz 27" Big Pine Island Lake  William Maloney 1934  
Largemouth Bass 11 lbs 15.04 oz 26" Bamfield Dam  Jack Rorex 1959  
Longnose Gar 18 lbs 0 oz 53" Williamsville Lake  Dennis Promo 1995  
Longnose Sucker 6 lbs 14.08 oz 22.5" Saint Joseph River  David Rose 1986  
Menominee (Round) Whitefish 4 lbs 0.96 oz 21.5" Lake Michigan  Kenneth E. Bilski 1992  
Mooneye 1 lbs 11.04 oz 14.38" Saint Clair Lake Goose Bay Robert J. Commire 1995  
Muskellunge 48 lbs 0 oz   Skegemog Lake  Charles S. Edgecomb 1984  
Northern Muskellunge 49 lbs 12 oz 51" Thornapple Lake  John Geml 2000  
Northern Pike 39 lbs 0 oz 51.5" Dodge Lake  Larry Clough 1961  
Pink (Humpback) Salmon 8 lbs 8.96 oz 28" Carp River  Ron Karasek 1987  
Pumpkinseed Sunfish 1 lbs  11.00" BAW BEESE LAKE ROBERT WILLIAM HOUSER 2004  
Rainbow Trout 26 lbs 8 oz 39.5" Lake Michigan  Mark Johnson 1975  
Redear Sunfish 1 lbs  12.75" Thompson Lake  RICHARD F. ALBER 2002  
Redhorse 12 lbs 14.24 oz 29.25" Muskegon River  Mike Polega 1991  
Rock Bass 3 lbs 9.92 oz 20" Holoway Reservoir  Edward Arnold 1965  
Sauger 6 lbs 8.96 oz 25.5" Torch Lake  Gary Frederick 1976  
Smallmouth Bass 9 lbs 4 oz 27.25" Long Lake  W.F. Shoemaker 1906  
Splake 17 lbs  34.5" Lake Michigan Big Bay Du Noc JOHN A BROCKWAY 2004  
Tiger Muskellunge 51 lbs 0 oz 54" Lac Vieux Desert  John Knobla 1919  
Tiger Trout 9 lbs 4 oz 26.6" North Branch Manistee River  Francis Putnam 1975  
Walleye 17 lbs 3.04 oz 35" Pine River  Ray Fadely 1951  
Warmouth 1 lbs 6.08 oz 11" Great Bear Lake  Michael Berg 0  
White Bass 6 lbs 11.84 oz 21.9" Huron Lake  David Kraushaar 1989  
White Crappie 3 lbs 6.24 oz 19.5" Stony Creek Metro Park Terrance Poirier 2000  
White Perch 1 lbs  13.25" LAKE HURON KYLE PATRICK RYAN 2002  
White Sucker 7 lbs 3.04 oz 28" Au Sable River  Matt Frampton 1982  
Yellow Bullhead 3 lbs 6 oz 16.8" Lake Sixteen Gary Charles Fox 2003  
Yellow Perch 3 lbs 12 oz 21" Independence Lake  George Slutter 1947  

[bigfoot697]

my buds at lakefish on bigbay showed me a banana box full of lake erie reds and man some of them were almost touching end to end[ a few years back  ]. they are perch but have a red tint to them. ive only fished in ny so i cant comment on anywhere else.

[evaxx]

(Image removed from quote.)

holy blasting sandwich pants. that looks like a bass!

[fishook]

holy blasting sandwich pants. that looks like a bass!

Toadhunter's photo is of a european perch. They get a LOT larger than our yellow perch. If you think toadhunter's 3 pounder is big, how about this 4 pounder? 
Or this FIVE pounder? 

[Badback]

Europe you say....I would send those perch in for drug testing...Since 30 athletes have been kick out of the Olympics for blood doping already and they were from Europe... ...lol

[year-round-fishing]

Upstate New York has been my home for 26 years, born and raised. If you know upstate you know its the fishing capital of freash water in the world. I'm talking about the amount of speicies and their size. I live in Oswego and its a city of about 26,000 people. It has the world record of record fresh water fish. The place sucks when it comes to jobs but I won't ever move. You know what they say " never move away from fish" well I took that literaly. Now I don't hold any of the records but I know personaly some of the people that have and I netted the sm bass that's still holding its weight. Thats the thing if you look at the past 5 years you will see records being beat its amazing, they say "you should of seen the old'en days" well I'm sorry but the fish are getting bigger and bigger every year. I mounted 3 perch, all were caught from bays off of lake Ontario they are all over 15 the biggest being 15 1/2. I think any body of water in new york could hold jumbo's. If anything its putting your time in and learning from your mistakes and other fishermen to acheive all greatness. I cant remeber the last time I got skunked I must of put a fair share of time into fishing I guess. In a nut shell I'm trying to say New York is doing something right.   

[Jigmup]

uh...Indiana grows 'em pretty big

[gruntngrin]

That right there is my dream mount.Guess I need to head north and start woring on that.

[Left/Center]

How can NY be deemed "perch" capital of the world? Really  Cmon think about what you're saying, we (MI) have Lake St. Clair which by the way is also one of the best musky fisheries in the world, Lake Erie, Saginaw Bay(Lake Huron), the guys slam em on the westside of the state too fishing Lake Michigan. All I can say is check the stats at Michigandnr.gov, click on the master angler awards and start drooling boys, Michigans where it's at.

[SNAGGER]

  SENECA LAKE, NEW YORK      

    They don't measure them,,, They weigh them..

[Left/Center]

 SENECA LAKE, NEW YORK      

    They don't measure them,,, They weigh them..

I'd rather drive to Lake Simcoe to be honest with ya 

[year-round-fishing]

NY does have nice perch any water you fish here. I didn't say we had the world record perch. I'm sorry if I hurt anyones fellings about that. I was talking in multiple speicies like steel head, brown trout, and salmon.... Also I'm talking about oswego County haveing a world record for most state record fresh water fish my fault I didn't explain that. I'm not a taxidermist but I worked for one for a while. Look him up, he's a great guy if you don't already know him "Dave fish fabercations". Yeah the guys last name is fish haha I love it.  

[fishook]

No feelings hurt here at all.    I just want the records to speak for Michigan. The topic was the state with the biggest yellow perch, and statistics show that Michigan is it. The ACE that Michigan holds over all other states is as I mentioned. Michigan has waters of 4 of the 5 great lakes within her boundaries. Michigan allows commercial fishing(netting) of yellow perch in 3 of those 4 great lakes. You'd have to be present to see the numbers of super jumbo perch they net. The tiny numbers of "slammer" perch posted here by hook & liners is nothing compared to the hundreds of hundreds that netters get every season.
Yes, I know commercial netting of perch is a provocative subject with sportfishrmen. My only intent here is to point out that Michigan has a situation unsurpassed by any state....an infinite amount of great lakes water that unquestionably has giant perch in size and numbers that no other state could possibly match. 

[GAMBELL]

and apart from the st lawaurence, the niagra river, and  lake otisco there are no other worldclass musky waters.  I have not seen any pics of truly world class pike, and a 30 pound king is not world class. 

A 30 LB king is not world class but the coho world record is! 

[year-round-fishing]

I have to agree that the great lakes are the places big fish are likely to be and I live on one of them. also I have access to lake Erie. I almost think there should be two categories inland lakes and great lakes. I would have to guess NY is on top with its inner lakes. All this debating aside I would love to visit all the major ice fishing states. I'd probly skip NJ tho haha.  P.S. The king salmon is a bit bigger then 30 pounds in lake Ontairo. A steelhead was just caught that pushed 30 pounds. Good thing we have a nucler plant haha. Our brown trout is 28 pounds. My buddy Mikey McClain caught it in the Oswego river. The mount is in side Larrys Oswego Salmon Shop.

[fishook]

Agreement is a good way to take a time out on this thread because we are all justifiably proud of the many big fish caught in the state where we live. Ranking states by how many big fish they produce doesn't change that we love where we live and fish. I'm sure the same competitive discussion would take place regarding specific lakes within each state.  For example, Michigan has several very large lakes that produce a lot of enormous perch each year. Which one has the biggest? Depends on who you talk to and which one they fish most often.  Which one of the great lakes has the biggest yellow perch?? I have the answer... if anyone wants to know.

[geothefisher]

Looks like some of the biggest perch in the tourney are from PA!  Even a guy from NY is fishing a PA lake for is tourney entries!  His pickeral and perch entries came form PA!!!

[fishook]

IMO it's highly probable that many guys catching enormous perch are unmotivated by competition to win, so THE biggest perch (and others species) never get entered in tournaments. The same thing even goes for record size fish. Some guys have no interest whatsoever in recognition or fame, and eat fish that would be record setters. I do fish taxidermy for a hobby and never cease to be amazed at the gigantic fish that some guys catch that are simply valued for their hefty fillets. That MI record perch (21" long)) was apparently never mounted or even photographed!!!!

[gumpy2]

IMO it's highly probable that many guys catching enormous perch are unmotivated by competition to win, so THE biggest perch (and others species) never get entered in tournaments. The same thing even goes for record size fish. Some guys have no interest whatsoever in recognition or fame, and eat fish that would be record setters. I do fish taxidermy for a hobby and never cease to be amazed at the gigantic fish that some guys catch that are simply valued for their hefty fillets. That MI record perch (21" long)) was apparently never mounted or even photographed!!!!

Well said Fishook.  I get a kick out of the guys on here that  have never fished really good perch waters that demand to have proof of pics of any perch larger than 15".  As it sounds like you know , many of the hardcore perchers are reclusive hermits and are very secretive about their spots and their catch. They only care about catching and releasing in hot oil and many fish that others would flaunt on the internet, never are seen or photographed. 

[SPARKYICE]

seneca has some nice ones.
i can't remember the length, but my best one's tail stuck out about an inch over the rim of a 5 gal. bucket. the taxi "trimmed" the rough edges off it's tail, so it's a bit shorter than when i caught it.
my buddy has one on his wall 1-1/2 or so inches longer. side by side, his looks to be twice the fish mine is.
perch are funny- after a certain size, they put on weight more so than length.

[taxi1]

Or this one. 



So you're fishhook now eh? 

[outoftown]

you guys are silly at best everyone knows big fish come from alberta just like big bucks



\





if you go to the alberta thread you can see this years catch anything kingfisher, walleyewhisperer, outoftown, or whitewhisperer is me and the boys slammin

[JiggerMan]

what ever name you go by now, 

none of those perch are anywhere near what you clamed them to be.  I believe you claimed them to all be in the 16 to 18 inch mark, which is not even close.  If you actuall put a tape on them instead of gestimate the size you would know the truth.

[JiggerMan]

Don't misunderstand my position. Indeed I know that there are perch-jerkers out there who target and catch more than their share of super dupers, and keep it quiet. They don't boast of what they catch and they sure don't load up photos of them on multiple fishing websites for a big pat on the back. I honor (and envy) their expertise and desire to remain humble. Then there are the ones who fish a little, know very little, and catch very little, but to stroke their own egos they make pompous claims of exceptionally large fish(perch) that they caught, someone else caught, or they just "saw." Such stories are deserving of skepticism. Without acutally measuring a fish, one is just guesstimating length. And how the hell did someone "lose a 21/2 lb perch" when they never weighed it?  I've got a lot of years of experience around all kinds of "huge" freshwater fish. When the claimed size of some fish gets just so big, I refuse to believe it without some kind of proof. Example? On one of these threads a guy "claimed" to have caught(or seen?) a 19" perch. Anyone who believes a report of that big of a perch without proof is a sucker (Pun intended). I'd believe a 15"perch without proof because they are not that uncommon. However, if anyone claims a perch over 16" they had better have proof like this for credibility.

(Image removed from quote.)

I have only seen two perch in may life that were over 16 inches.....  one was 16 1/4 and the other one was 17 inches.  I had proof of the 16 1/4 one on my CP cause the guy emailed pics and thanked me for measuring it for him and to let me know how much it wieghed.  The 16 1/4 also came from the lake that had the previous state record for PA and has produced two tounrey winning perch.  The 17 incher was probably a freak becaue it came out of small swampy place called thomas's dam outside montgomery (pretty much a large farm pond), and it was caught by my best friend growing up.  We took it down to the local deli to have it wieghed and in the middle of the summer it was over 2 pounds with no eggs . 

My personal best is a 15 3/4 incher out of lake jean early ice.  We brought it home and it was still alive so we took it out to gander mountain by the muncy valley mall and the had it in their minnow tank for a couple pf weeks before the PFBC came in to check on reports of them having a large perch in a tank and made them release it or kill it because they did not have the permit to keep game fish captive.  other then this one o have got quite a few over the 15 inch mark but not bigger then 15.5 inches and countless 14 plus inchers

[taxi1]

what ever name you go by now, 

none of those perch are anywhere near what you clamed them to be.  I believe you claimed them to all be in the 16 to 18 inch mark, which is not even close.  If you actuall put a tape on them instead of gestimate the size you would know the truth.

Who are you referring to? 

If you're referring to fishhook I know him personally and all his claims are legit complete with tape. Furthermore you must be confusing him with someone else in the thread as if anything he downplays the size of fish many people purpose without photographs to prove it.