Giant Devils Lake Perch Could Break 44-Year-Old North Dakota State Record

A Wisconsin angler might have set a brand new North Dakota state file after pulling a large yellow perch by way of the ice on Devils Lake earlier this month.

Alan Hintz of Stevens Level, Wisconsin, caught the fish on March 1 whereas fishing together with his brother Dale and a bunch of mates throughout a guided journey with Perch Patrol Guide Service.

The day didn’t begin with record-breaking expectations. By noon, the brothers had solely three perch of their bucket after spending the morning fishing Pelican Bay.

“It was form of a gradual day to be sincere,” Hintz stated.

Their information, Tyler Elshaug, determined to strive a distinct space after scouting with forward-facing sonar. After drilling a number of holes and recognizing fish on his electronics, he moved the transportable shelters to a close-by spot identified for producing larger perch.

The transfer rapidly paid off.

Fishing with a Northland Buck-Shot Rattle Spoon tipped with a minnow head, Hintz dropped his lure to a big mark he noticed on the flasher. The fish struck instantly however got here unhooked. When he lowered the lure once more, it hit a second time.

“I assumed it was a pike at first,” Hintz stated. “My brother had simply misplaced one and I figured it was one other one.”

The fish made a number of robust runs below the ice, tangling with a transducer and one other line contained in the ice shelter earlier than lastly developing the opening.

When the anglers noticed the fish, they realized it was not a pike however an enormous yellow perch.

“Our jaws simply dropped,” Hintz stated.

Elshaug measured the fish at 16.5 inches and the group rapidly headed to Woodland Resort to weigh it on a licensed scale. The perch weighed 2.99 kilos, which might spherical as much as three kilos below North Dakota Recreation and Fish Division rules.

The present North Dakota file yellow perch is 2 kilos, 15 ounces, caught from Devils Lake in 1982. If Hintz’s catch is accredited after the company’s routine four-week overview course of, it could surpass the 44-year-old file.

For anglers acquainted with Devils Lake, the catch just isn’t completely stunning. The massive pure lake is broadly often called one of many nation’s premier locations for jumbo yellow perch.

“With all of the freshwater shrimp within the lake, the perch develop quick and fats,” Elshaug stated.

Winter can also be the prime season for concentrating on them. Ice fishing attracts anglers from throughout the Midwest every year, and information providers keep busy all through the chilly months.

“I’ve solely had three days off since Christmas,” Elshaug stated. “We’re busier within the winter than we’re throughout open water.”

Hintz has been ice fishing for greater than 50 years and travels commonly searching for huge perch. He and his mates make an annual journey to Devils Lake particularly for the prospect to catch fish of this dimension.

“We goal huge perch,” he stated. “We simply don’t have perch this dimension the place we fish.”

Whereas the catch nonetheless awaits official affirmation, Hintz already is aware of one factor for certain. The fish can be mounted and displayed at residence.

“My spouse will most likely have to maneuver certainly one of her work,” he stated. “However I don’t assume she’ll thoughts.”

Keith Lusher

Keith Lusher is an award-winning outside journalist who resides in Covington, Louisiana. He owns and operates NorthshoreFishingReport.com and writes a weekly outside column for the Slidell Unbiased Newspaper. He additionally writes for the St.Tammany Parish Tourism Fee’s VisitTheNorthshore.com. He’s the previous host of The Northshore Fishing Report Radio Present and is on the board of the Louisiana Outside Writers Affiliation. Keith contributes to quite a few publications each on-line and in print and prides himself on selling South Louisiana’s distinctive fishery. To contact Keith e mail: keithlusherjr@gmail.com