Georgia record for largest yellow perch tied by Forsyth County man

RABUN COUNTY, Ga. — A state fishing record for the largest yellow perch reeled in has been tied, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.

On Feb. 18, Angler Emerson Mulhall of Cumming reeled in a nearly 3-pound yellow perch while fishing on Lake Burton in Rabun County.

“I was confused when I hooked the fish because it didn’t fight like a bass, which is what I typically pursue, and then surprised when I saw the yellow coloring – but got really excited when we realized it was a huge perch,” said Mulhall. “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. 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.”

This tied the current state record which was established in 2013, according to the department. A typical yellow perch is less than a pound.

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Yellow perch have a golden yellow body with 6-8 dark vertical bands from back to belly.

The department said these fish“prefer cool water lake environments, but can also be found in large rivers, tailwaters and ponds. Their diet consists of small fish, aquatic insects, crayfish and snails.”

Fishing has improved in Lake Burton over recent years, according to the department. and trophy-size fish are typically caught in early spring.

Anyone interested in purchasing a fishing license can do so by clicking here.

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