‘Confused’ angler calls dad after catching odd fish. It tied a state record in Georgia

Makiya Seminera
·2 min read
213

A Georgia man’s fishing trip became much more exciting when he pulled up a state-record catch, wildlife officials said.

Emerson Mulhall, a 20-year-old angler from Cumming, was out fishing on Lake Burton when he got a tug on his line, according to a Feb. 21 news release from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The fish he reeled in was a state record-tying yellow perch, officials said.

Mulhall’s catch weighed 2 pounds and 9 ounces, according to the department. He tied a yellow perch state record set in 2013, officials said.

The 20-year-old angler’s catch weighed almost 3 pounds, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Georgia Department of Natural Resources
The 20-year-old angler’s catch weighed almost 3 pounds, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Georgia Department of Natural Resources

The yellow perch can grow up to 3 pounds but is usually less than a pound, wildlife officials said. The bright orange-finned fish are found in cold lakes, as well as rivers and ponds, according to the department.

Catching “trophy-size fish” is normally more common at Lake Burton during early spring, the department said.

Yellow perch can be found in cold lakes in Georgia, wildlife officials said. Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Yellow perch can be found in cold lakes in Georgia, wildlife officials said. Georgia Department of Natural Resources

“I was confused when I hooked the fish because it didn’t fight like a bass, which is what I typically pursue,” Mulhall told wildlife officials.

Then, he saw the coloring of the fish emerge from the water — a bright yellow, officials said.

The fish’s color initially surprised Mulhall, but then he got “really excited” when it dawned on him that it was a “huge” yellow perch, he told officials.

The angler got “really excited” when he realized it was a yellow perch, according to the department. Georgia Department of Natural Resources
The angler got “really excited” when he realized it was a yellow perch, according to the department. Georgia Department of Natural Resources

One of the first things the 20-year-old did was call his dad about his catch, he said. His father’s advice was simple: “get off the lake and go get it weighed on a certified scale,” Mulhall said.

“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,” Mulhall said in the release.

He used a Berkley Finisher jerkbait to catch his record-tying fish, department spokesperson Melissa Cummings told McClatchy News in an email.

Luke Burton is about 105 miles south of Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

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