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Giant Yellow Perch Released

Here are a couple of shots of an amazing yellow perch I caught and released today from a small, public lake in southern PA. The fish took a live earthworm fished on the bottom w/ a # 12 hook while, you guessed it, fishing for bluegills.

The perch was 15 3/4 inches long with a 12 1/2 girth. Didn't weigh the fish, but I think it was an old male or perhaps a post spawn female. In Fisherman perch charts would put this fish somewhere between 2-2 and 2-10. Interestingly, this is the first perch I have ever taken from this public water that has yielded numerous 10 in plus gills for us.

Let's here it for them worms! Jeff Soto...is there a 15 3/4 in replica out there? Tis fish almost looks like a small peacock bass!

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Albums: King Kong Perch
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Comment by IceWarriorGill on May 13, 2009 at 7:11pm: Hey Jim, that's an amazing yellow perch!!! You should get that one mounted!!!

Comment by nicholas clark on May 13, 2009 at 6:43pm: it looks like a bass

Comment by Xeev Xwm Vang on May 13, 2009 at 6:21pm: wow! I miss big perch! used to catch them in my parents backyard every spring. Thanks for posting! makes me want to search for some soon.

Comment by Bruce Condello on May 12, 2009 at 4:42pm: That fish is unbelievable!!!

I'd bet my biggest pond that you're looking at a post-spawn female. Males just don't get that big.

One time I was fishing a Sandhills natural lake, and three buddies and I caught a limit of 120 fish. We were making a specific effort to release the big ones, and keep the smaller ones to eat. We basically kept every fish under 11 inches. When we got back to the cleaning station we were dumbfounded that 118 of the 120 fish were males!

Comment by John Sheehan on May 12, 2009 at 1:49pm: Ah, Water clarity...sun penetration! And these gills u speak of are nesting deeper I guess..I might be hitting a prespawn/spawn combo north of you.

Comment by Jim Gronaw on May 12, 2009 at 1:32pm: You are right , John, the gills are moving shallow in most of our area lakes. However, this little lake, 8 acres, is an old quarry with crystal clear water and all the gills we have caught from there have been on or near the bottom. Did get one big gill near 10 in, but could not locate beds in the shallows...water temp too cold there at 61 F. See ya!

Comment by John Sheehan on May 12, 2009 at 1:21pm: Jim u always do this to me get me excited about Big Perch!
If you were fishing for gills though why were you fishing on the bottom?The sunnies and Gills are coming up for bait where its warmer ,no? I was slip floating for gills and Redears and hitting them every cast ,from shore,for 45 minutes in a NW cove today.I fished a small lake so they were only 'tween 7-8' but lots of 'em !
Also ,far be it from me to suggest how to fish to you c'cause you catch more and bigger than I do .I know, I gotta get to another ,bigger lake,I'm fishing pressured New Jersey.Not an excuse though,Later friend!