4 pound perch ?

[bounty hunter]

on lake side fishing shop report (586-777-7008) has a report of a 17 inch 4 pound perch taken friday off cotton road..It has not been 100% verified but can you imagine such a brute..

[glowingbarrel]

was at Selfridge yesterday from 1~4pm and a couple of the perch I saw through the hole in my chanty were 13~14"....but wouldnt even look at the bait.....just cruised right through. But man, 17", that would be something to see let alone catch??

Oh, by the way, in the 3 hours I was there, got 24 fish 8~11". Had to keep the bait away from the little ones, and there were periods of 30min when there was NOTHING in the hole. Then the hole would be full of perch, and you'd catch 3~5 in like 2min, as fast as you could put the bait down.

They were REALLY finicky and you had to keep changing lures to find what they wanted. Small teardrops seemed to be the ticket, in purple, pink, or gold.....anything bigger, and they wouldnt touch it.

[leapin lunker]

When we moved to LSC in 1996 the first time my wife and I went fishing on the ice we caught a mixed bag of 76 fish. Some were pike, some bluegil, but most were perch. The biggest perch was nearly 17 inches. We took a picture of it and a pike next to a yard stick. Heck, we didn't know any better being relocatees from the Hoosier state and figured this was a typical day and catch for the lake. So, instead of taking the beast to Lakeside for verification we fillet'd it and ate it. Afterward people were in awe of the photo and said we might have eaten the state record. Did not weigh it, however, I doubt it approached 4#, but sure was a good 3#'er. Anyway, we have smarted up since then. Next largest since then has been almost a 14"er.

[east bay ed]

i've heard of a lot of 17" and 18" perch being caught but they never seem to make it to a certified scale. i hope someone does stick a big perch and actually gets it weighed, but until then i will be a little skeptical.

[scottfree]

the largest perch i have ever caught was approximately 13 inches and i thought i was the happiest soul alive, but a 17 incher. WOW that would be something to see. hopefully someone does actually get it certified. one for the record books ?

[Zeboy]

a 17" or 18" perch I believe. . . but 4 lbs????? I can't think of one species where a 17" fish is a legitimate 4 lbs. Think about it. Most species are 20" to 24" before they hit 4 lbs.

[Randy Kidd]

Not too long ago the big jumbos of Lake Michigan could get to 17 inches, I have caught some close to 16, But four pounds? Christ the thing had to look like a puffer or a blow fish.

[mkroulik]

If that perch was 4 pounds, it was the new state record. Th current record is 3.75 lbs, and was 21 inches long, and caught in 1947.

Current State Records (http://www.michigandnr.com/FISH/MasterAngler.asp)

[Dunlap]

I fished Cotton Rd. yesterday from 1 til dark. I saw some the largest perch i have ever seen swim through the hole. I took the spear just in case the the big ones weren't biting and took a couple that way. I really think i saw the largest perch of my life (15-17 inches?) swim through my hole. We were so amazed we didn't even think about the spear! We used tear drops with wigglers, minnows and waxworms and they all worked well. When I got home I called a friend to let him know how good we did and found out he also limited out yestrerday at fairhaven DNR access about a mile out and to the left. Some thing happened yesterday to turn the fish on.

[east bay ed]

two years ago a customer of mine caught a 16.5" female that went 3# 2oz. so i can belive a 17" will go 4#. most of our 2.5# fish are less then 16". i see hundreds of them every winter so i know it possible.

[northern_outdoorsman]

I heard all about this at work last night...I think it is true and is a new canidate for the state record...Keep checking the websites cause I heard a pic of it is coming out soon...

[dieseldude]

I myself would need visual conformation, thats a huge Perch!

[William H Bonney]

I Believe EVERY word of it!

I saw a school of perch at Selfridge today that looked like CARP!
(and NO they weren't carp)

I could NOT believe my own eyes!

I threw my whole bucket at 'em today and only managed 10
caught probably 30.

Those mother scratchers would just NOT bite!

Anyone got any suggestions?

[rkowal1250]

I hear ya William, A friend and I fished off cotton rd. today from 1:30 till dark. We only ended up with 9 keepers between both of us. But saw LOTS of HUGE perch swim through the hole. I mean these fish were 14- 15 inches easy. Would NOT bite for nothin'.
LOTS of BIG ones right at dark. I would love to be out there when these HOGS decide to start biting. :p

[TeamPolarisracing]

i need a pic to see if it is true then if it is i will shi@ my pants.

[tasdevil]

Can't believe 4 pounds would like to see it.I hear enough fish stories but never pictures to prove it.

[Big Frank 25]

Largest I've seen 17 3/4 inches 3 1/4 lbs. Post spawn. Caught at Kettle Point. A most impressive fish!