Angler confused over hooked fish soon discovers its significance

A Georgia fisherman was confused upon hooking a fish, thinking it couldn’t be a bass because it was fighting funny.

But when Emerson Mulhall saw its color, the species at the end of his line became clear. It was a yellow perch, and a big one at that.

“I was confused when I hooked the fish because it didn’t fight like a bass, which is what I typically pursue, and then [I was] surprised when I saw the yellow coloring,” Mulhall told the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division. “But [I] got really excited when we realized it was a huge perch.”

Mulhall was fishing on Lake Burton on Sunday when he made the colorful catch.

“I called my dad, who is the one who taught me to fish, and he encouraged me to get off the lake and go get it weighed on a certified scale.”

So that’s what he did.

The 16-inch yellow perch weighed 2 pounds, 9 ounces, and it tied the state record for the species. The typical yellow perch weighs around 1 pound.

“I would bet that holding a state-record tie is a great motivator for Emerson, and all anglers, to take advantage of the amazing angling opportunities all over the state and try to land that next record,” said Scott Robinson, Chief of Fisheries for the Wildlife Resources Division.

Added Mulhall, “I like to say that there are no ‘bad’ days on the lake, but some days are better than others. This was definitely one of those days.”

Photos courtesy of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Emerson Mulhall.