# Biggest perch I've ever seen



## Angl3r

I was perch fishing outside if Geneva with 2 other guys yesterday. All of us almost had are limit. I hooked into a fish and was bringing it up but when I got it to the boat I was shocked! The perch I had on my hook was probably almost 20 inches and when I went to put it in the boat it came unhooked! I was So mad!!!


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## firstflight111

that sounds like a good fish tail ..
these two are 16 in


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## Rod Hawg

I wouldn't doubt it. There are so many Perch in that lake there's gotta be a monster. I've caught a lot of 13s and 14s. But I'm sure there are some in there pushing 20.


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## chromesteelhead

Those 20 inchers are the smartest fish in Lake Erie......they always know when to spit out the hooks....it's like they just wanna say hello


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## Perch

I think the hog Perch can throw a fine wire snelled hook alot easier than the 8's

Sayin'


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## Bobinstow90

Must say I believe there are some 17+" perch in Erie. 

Couple yrs back we were perchin off Cleve in early Nov. Lots of good 12-14" fish. As I reeled up and got a look at a munster...couldn't believe my eyes and my buddy also saw the fish. Next second it was off and gone. Not sure how big it was, but over 17" imo. I do know they always look bigger at the surface than measured in the boat.

Someone will get one of those munsters!


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## BobcatJB

State record was 14.5" and 2lb 12oz. 

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## Angl3r

I thought I had a small mouth when I was reeling it up and I knew there was some big ones but never this big!


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## firstflight111

BobcatJB said:


> State record was 14.5" and 2lb 12oz.
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


but its the 2lb 12oz. 
they go by


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## firstflight111

Angl3r said:


> I thought I had a small mouth when I was reeling it up and I knew there was some big ones but never this big!
> 
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


i know there in there.. over in cananda we get the in the 18 in class


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## firstflight111

Perch said:


> I think the hog Perch can throw a fine wire snelled hook alot easier than the 8's
> 
> Sayin'


thats why i started to drop shot for them.. with a 1/0 gamakatsu.. dont loose to many... and better feel for the lite bite ...


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## fishkiller

I think most people call a 10" perch a jumbo 20" must be a super jumbo! We use to perch fish a lot 1,000+ fish seasons, the biggest I have ever caught or seen caught was 15 1/2".


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## Jason Pelz

Come on man! Where is the tape measurer in the pic? I've caught many 13 and 14" perch that look bigger than that. I wouldn't believe those are anything over 11" without seeing a tape next to them.


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## heidlers

firstflight111 said:


> that sounds like a good fish tail ..
> these two are 16 in


Interesting. A half sheet of newspaper is, what, approx 11"-12". I don't have one here so I cannot submit to being certain...just asking the question. Those fish appear to barely cover the half sheet? Those appear to be 11"-13" fish?


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## c. j. stone

Never say Never!
Good idea to keep the walleye net handy for hog perch! Or for double jumbos! You cannot lift such fish into the boat with any confidence. Same thing happened to a guy next to me off a dock at Wingfoot Lake! Biggest perch I ever saw alive or dead! I'm only guessing but I bet it was 17-18"! The others we were catching were 9-10" and this one looked to be twice that size.


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## Papascott

I've personally pulled quite a few 15s a couple 15.5, never seen one bigger but i'm sure they exist. Just extremely rare.


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## Sculpin67

Can you send me the exact location. My son wants to catch it! Sorry for the loss. It would have been cool to get a perch that big. I got a 12"er last weekend, and that was a good fight.


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## Bobinstow90

firstflight111 said:


> i know there in there.. over in cananda we get the in the 18 in class



FF....you wouldn't happen to have any pics would ya? Would be cool just to see perch 18". 

Gettin hungry.....time to thaw a bag of perch. Perfect outdoor cookin weather.


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## firstflight111

Bobinstow90 said:


> FF....you wouldn't happen to have any pics would ya? Would be cool just to see perch 18".
> 
> Gettin hungry.....time to thaw a bag of perch. Perfect outdoor cookin weather.


that was years ago when we had to go home to make a phone calls wish i did ..


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## firstflight111

heidlers said:


> Interesting. A half sheet of newspaper is, what, approx 11"-12". I don't have one here so I cannot submit to being certain...just asking the question. Those fish appear to barely cover the half sheet? Those appear to be 11"-13" fish?


there are no fish tails here they are 16 in fish ..thats one thing i dont b.s about fishing ..


just ask viper1 about when we went perchen ..we got 14 ,15 ,16 in perch ..i will get the pics of them  and post them up ..


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## heidlers

firstflight111 said:


> there are no fish tails here they are 16 in fish ..thats one thing i dont b.s about fishing ..
> 
> 
> just ask viper1 about when we went perchen ..we got 14 ,15 ,16 in perch ..i will get the pics of them  and post them up ..


I don't need to ask Viper, and don't mean to make a big deal out of this- frankly, I rarely put my boat on Erie so it doesn't really matter much to me either way.

However, a full sheet of newsprint is 24", folded at the crease is 12". I have the PD here to measure now. Neither of your "Sixteen inch" fish appear to be more than 12" or 13", 14" at the most. Based on your pic, if you were to rotate those fish to the right towards your wrist and place their nose on the end line, their tails would barely extend cross mid field? I am sure we all have wives or GF's that would argue 2 inches (or more) makes a HUGE difference!!  Just my observation...but I've been wrong and been called an a-hole (or much worse) before...i can live with that.


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## TropBass

I caught a 15 1/4 out of Geneva last October.


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## Stuhly

Here is my 15in. 1 3/4lbs I had my Fishing Buddy (Emily my oldest kid)
net it for me. wish I would've got it mounted.
View attachment 61155


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## firstflight111

heidlers said:


> I don't need to ask Viper, and don't mean to make a big deal out of this- frankly, I rarely put my boat on Erie so it doesn't really matter much to me either way.
> 
> However, a full sheet of newsprint is 24", folded at the crease is 12". I have the PD here to measure now. Neither of your "Sixteen inch" fish appear to be more than 12" or 13", 14" at the most. Based on your pic, if you were to rotate those fish to the right towards your wrist and place their nose on the end line, their tails would barely extend cross mid field? I am sure we all have wives or GF's that would argue 2 inches (or more) makes a HUGE difference!!  Just my observation...but I've been wrong and been called an a-hole (or much worse) before...i can live with that.


were you the one that got picked last at kick ball weren't you ...the fish are on an angle if you get you eyes checked ... but not a big deal right


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## willy

..thats one thing i dont b.s about fishing ..

8) ...and neither does anyone else on www.ohiogamefishing.com


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## willy

Stuhly said:


> Here is my 15in. 1 3/4lbs I had my Fishing Buddy (Emily my oldest kid)
> net it for me. wish I would've got it mounted.
> View attachment 61155


Sir, now that is a Lake Erie yellow perch if i do say so...


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## da-animal

here is a 17" caught at fall, looks like its on steroids


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## willy

... and everyone knows Emily caught it and she let you net it for her tough guy, rofl


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## rod bender bob

Yeah, i've heard of huge perch, just never seen a picture  most guys overestimate the length of two things - fish and


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## heidlers

Nope, not a big deal. I don't even fish for perch. Just making an observation. I've fished in NEO for 12yrs and haven't placed a fish in a cooler yet, but have released plenty. For that matter, I very rarely keep fish when I am at my 2nd residence in FL.

And for your benefit, no, I have NEVER been the last guy picked for ANYTHING. More often than not, I was the guy you were hoping picked you. Since you asked though, I didn't waste much time with kick ball, but I was a pretty decent HS and college hoops player who was blessed enough to have had a full ride at a D 1 college...but that was a very long time ago and not worth discussing. That said, I am VERY competitive and in a professional field where millimeters make a difference. Inches are an ENORMOUS error in my field. Good day FirstFlight, just making a close observation, like I did for the "Pope" the other day when the pic he posted, he had not realized his snap clip had been opened.


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## BigDaddy300

Stuhly said:


> Here is my 15in. 1 3/4lbs I had my Fishing Buddy (Emily my oldest kid)
> net it for me. wish I would've got it mounted.
> View attachment 61155


No way that is 15"! Close the mouth and it will only hit 14 7/8". LOL


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## Jason Pelz

After 30 years of fishing the western and central basins regularly and having seen probably 25-30k perch caught on our boats I've never seen a perch in person that was over 14 1/2". Now with that thought in mind my wife keeps hounding me to find a job closer to her parents out in Rootstown and obviously from the number of replies the fish are definitely bigger out east. Maybe I should start looking to move out there. I could always just drag the boat back here on the weekends for the spring bite and stay with my parents for the weekends but be closer to the biggest fish out there in the summer.


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## willy

da-animal said:


> here is a 17" caught at fall, looks like its on steroids


I'm sorry but nOpe.
As you can see from the angle, Newspapers publish a "per column inch" rate based on their circulation and demographic figures. Generally, the more readers the higher the column inch rate is. Newspapers with more affluent readers may be able to command an even higher column inch rate.
Also, gravitation is most familiar as the agent that gives weight to objects with mass and causes them to fall to the ground when dropped, so non-landed objects are signifantly larger than real objects.
Anyway, everyone already knows that with the new direction of the ODNR after the shakedown, and the re-introduction of the native blue pike they have been raising at the new hatchery, which is scheduled to open this fall, the Browns are going all the way.
Just sayin.


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## limit out

Hey first flight isnt that the same person that got called out to Milton but wouldnt man up. I seen those perch and they were big.Why do some people have to dought another mans word.Who cares we all have streched a fish or two to make the story a little more interesting.If you say you never,your full of it.


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## Sculpin67

Only one way to settle this ----- let's all meet in Geneva, and catch the one that got away.

We might head up there depending on the weather. If the weather looks iffy, we will hit the gold coast.


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## firstflight111

limit out said:


> Hey first flight isnt that the same person that got called out to Milton but wouldnt man up. I seen those perch and they were big.Why do some people have to dought another mans word.Who cares we all have streched a fish or two to make the story a little more interesting.If you say you never,your full of it.


yep i dont need a size check by some kid thats never even been there ..i know what she was and it tasted good ..

Sculpin67 

Only one way to settle this ----- let's all meet in Geneva, and catch the one that got away.

i go to conny any way  i will be there monday and thursday..


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## daf1025

I'll be walleye fishing out in Geneva later today and Friday. I have my kayak that will be used for perching Saturday anyone point me in the right direction towards these monster perch. My pb out of the kayak this year is 12 1/4 so anything bigger then that would be a bonus. If anyone has an open seat out there Saturday would help with bait and gas. I'll be at the state park so thanks for the help. Doug


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## Shortdrift

heidlers said:


> I don't need to ask Viper, and don't mean to make a big deal out of this- frankly, I rarely put my boat on Erie so it doesn't really matter much to me either way.
> 
> So why bother questioning it or making such a fuss? Envious?


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## walcat

16 1/4"


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## firstflight111

Shortdrift said:


> heidlers said:
> 
> 
> 
> I don't need to ask Viper, and don't mean to make a big deal out of this- frankly, I rarely put my boat on Erie so it doesn't really matter much to me either way.
> 
> So why bother questioning it or making such a fuss? Envious?
> 
> 
> 
> he thinks its funny to mess with me ..cause his buddy cant do it lmao ...
Click to expand...


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## Lewzer

I don't mind the friendly bantering going on here. I hope it keeps going as look at all those pics of some hog perch that keep popping up!
They look much better than the pork chop I'm having for lunch right now.


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## creekcrawler

> pics of some hog perch


Here's one of the wife's mounts. All FishOhio's, biggest one 14 5/8".
All caught in one easy summer. . .


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## rutty

Here are a couple of them around 15.5 (just kidding) just wanted to put some realistic Western Basis perch on here since that is all we catch over here! lol


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## firstflight111

creekcrawler said:


> Here's one of the wife's mounts. All FishOhio's, biggest one 14 5/8".
> All caught in one easy summer. . .


great looking mount


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## firstflight111

rutty said:


> Here are a couple of them around 15.5 (just kidding) just wanted to put some realistic Western Basis perch on here since that is all we catch over here! lol


lol thats about right ..go over to the east side ..just a bit bigger there


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## rutty

firstflight111 said:


> great looking mount


Very nice! Biggest i have caught on the West end is 12 3/4 which is a big one for over here. I am going to try to make it out east sometime this fall that is for sure. I have a boat that can be trailored.


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## Searay

creekcrawler said:


> Here's one of the wife's mounts. All FishOhio's, biggest one 14 5/8".
> All caught in one easy summer. . .


Sweet mind sharing where you got mounted and $.... I have a spot for one!!!


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## Jason Pelz

Rutty, I've caught a few each year that were in the 13 - 14 1/2" range off Marblehead on the east side of the loading dock in 20 to 22 fow. Just have to be willing to go out in mid-March until the first week of April or mid November until it freezes over. We seem to do best when it is blowing hard out of the SW and cold as hell with 2-3 ft waves crashing against the boat and spraying over on us. Those are my favorite trips to go because it rarely fails to produce nice fish. It's well worth the trip. But realistically, we are excited as hell when we can catch anything over 10" any other time of year around here.


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## rutty

Jason Pelz said:


> Rutty, I've caught a few each year that were in the 13 - 14 1/2" range off Marblehead on the east side of the loading dock in 20 to 22 fow. Just have to be willing to go out in mid-March until the first week of April or mid November until it freezes over. We seem to do best when it is blowing hard out of the SW and cold as hell with 2-3 ft waves crashing against the boat and spraying over on us. Those are my favorite trips to go because it rarely fails to produce nice fish. It's well worth the trip. But realistically, we are excited as hell when we can catch anything over 10" any other time of year around here.


Yeah, I am usually walleye fishing those times of year.


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## Jason Pelz

I like to try to perch fish once for every 4 walleye trips when we can get the jumbo bite going.


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## firstflight111

Blorgus said:


> Looks like a 12" cutting board
> 
> Even if it was a 15" cutting board, do the math
> 
> Funny


lmao too funny


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## Pigsticker

Let me remind all the mighty fish slayers that you're getting worked up over perch. Really?


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## Blorgus

Pigsticker said:


> Let me remind all the mighty fish slayers that you're getting worked up over perch. Really?


Not getting worked up dude, just laughing at a bullshiiit artist


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## firstflight111

Pigsticker said:


> Let me remind all the mighty fish slayers that you're getting worked up over perch. Really?


Blorgus Quote:
Originally Posted by Pigsticker 
Let me remind all the mighty fish slayers that you're getting worked up over perch. Really? 

Not getting worked up dude, just laughing at a bullshiiit artist 
07-12-2012 10:36 PM 

there just jelous of what they dont have ..and can not do ..also his friends cant pick on me so he runs his mouth..and thinks hes funny and we all know this ..it is funny to us ...


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## The Bream Reaper

Almost 15" tank from the western basin


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## seahawk

walcat said:


> 16 1/4"


The look on his face is priceless.


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## Fishguy777

If all u guys are catchin state record perch y is the record still 14 1/2in? Is it the weight? 2.75lbs. 


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## ezbite

oh the elusive green sheephead....


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## rutty

Fishguy777 said:


> If all u guys are catchin state record perch y is the record still 14 1/2in? Is it the weight? 2.75lbs.
> 
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


Yes, Ohio goes by weight for state records, they could care less what the length is. That state fish was one fat sucker that is for sure, full of eggs!


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## viper1

Firstflight is giving it to you straight. We catch 15-16 at Conny quite often. I also hooked one this year that i feel would have been a record. It was a good size fish in the 18-20 size class and fat as a hog. Got it to the boat where two other people seen it and it was gone. I sat down and just sweated and thought about that quite a few minutes. Don't understand why perch is record by weight instead of length but they are. This one would have blown both categories.
I do see the big ones are slowing down and smaller size fish in limits. But early fishing of Conny was all huge fish. And then the normal size is 12-15 with an occasional 16 thrown in. Didn't really realize it wasn't normal catch for all. So i will next time lay beside a tape measure for you. Probably next spring maybe this year still who knows. 
I know I took a few charters on the west end were they say if it hangs over your palm then keep it. I didnt but I also wont fish there again for perch. Conny has me spoiled. Some of those keepers were 6 or less inches. We use a lot of emerald shiners 3-4 inches. LOL


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## Bluegillin'

Anyone have a picture of the State record was 14.5" and 2lb 12oz? I can't imagine how fat that thing had to have been.


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## Jason Pelz

Or how many lead balls they shoved down its throat before weighing it? I had a super fat 14 1/2" pre spawn female once and thought it would come close to the state record and it was only 1.8 lbs. There is no way in my mind that a fish that length could ever be a whole pound heavier than that one. I would also like to see the picture of that fish.


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## viper1

Ohio Record Perch 2.75 lbs 14 1/2 " 1984









21" Michigan Perch









As you see we got some work to do to beat them weights.


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## chromesteelhead

yep...those look exactly like the ones that jump off the hook everytime


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## viper1

chromesteelhead said:


> yep...those look exactly like the ones that jump off the hook everytime


Aren't they all! LOL


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## Lucky Touch Charters

I caught this fish in 2002 on October 21st in Lorain. it is 15" at the time i caught it i did not know it was longer than the state record so we filleted it without weighing it. Some where i have a picture of it on a tape measure. This picture is a picture of the 35mm camera picture we used back then lol. Also a pic of the replica mount of it.


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## sander

Don't know if that 21 inch Michigan perch is an actual mount or a replica, but it's worth noting that Michigan's state record 3 pounds, 12 ounces. Since it likely was a spawning fish, the Michigan record would probably be pushing 16 inches or so. That 21-incher must have weighed 5 lb. or more. No one thought to enter it?


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## walcat

seahawk said:


> The look on his face is priceless.


That's my wife dummy!!!!!


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## Fishfool

Here is a 14 1/4 I got this year. It is next to a 1 gallon juice bottle.


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## KI Jim

I have a place on Kellys. My former neighbor, George (he passed away a few years ago) had on his cottage wall a mount of a perch his father caught off Kellys in 1964. It measures 18 1/2". I is an incredible fish. I am trying to get posession of the mount from George's "heirs".


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## KaGee

All fisherman are lairs except me and you, and I'm not so sure about you at times.


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## fishon

firstflight111 said:


> thats why i started to drop shot for them.. with a 1/0 gamakatsu.. dont loose to many... and better feel for the lite bite ...


that's exactly how I do it as well.


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## Bogeyjoker

My home waters are on the eastern edge of PA waters near the NY line. 13 and 14" fish are very common. 15" fish really get our attention, but are not really uncommon...and we usually get a 16"er or two every year. My perch cooler has a ruler molded into it and my buddies and I typically measure anything over 12 or 13". 

In the spring we fish for them like you would fish for smallmouths...fairly shallow rockpiles with big baits. The sumo perch come in and feed on the 4 and 5" gobies right next to the smallies. After the water warms these big mamas move out deeper and we focus on 'eyes until September at which time we resume our focus on pig perch in 60-90 fow. Last fall was the best perching I've ever seen and there were days where a 12"er was a "small one".


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## Angl3r

Nice big perch everyone!! I like to see everyone having big perch in the boat! 


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## RELAYER3

I got one 2 years ago in Pa it was 15 1/2" 2.2lbs at the time it was 6oz shy of thier state record. Made a beautiful mount on a piece of driftwood,hanging in my fishing camp now,everyone who has seen it just says WOW!!!


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## gw2kpro

I caught a 20 inch perch once. Then I got looking at it a little closer and realized it was a walleye.


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## firstflight111

gw2kpro said:


> i caught a 20 inch perch once. Then i got looking at it a little closer and realized it was a walleye.


awesome lol


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## bb7813

You guys always get 13+ perch?. Up here in Saginaw bay those are a thing of the past. You boys are blessed


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## firstflight111

bb7813 said:


> You guys always get 13+ perch?. Up here in Saginaw bay those are a thing of the past. You boys are blessed


not always just depends were you are in the lake ..i am going up sunday to put a hammer on them


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## eyedreamn

I will show you my perchy if you show me yours......


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## firstflight111

eyedreamn said:


> I will show you my perchy if you show me yours......


ha ha okay i will post up pics on sunday when i get back ..


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## ROtterson

If you check with the fish cleaners, like snug harbor in conny, the can give u an idea of how big they are from yr. To yr. That"wall-pearch " is a lol.


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## fishing4eyes

Pair of 14-3/4" from Lake Mich in May, these fish are just fat....


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