Was The North Dakota State Record Perch Just Caught?

I wrote an article a couple of years back about 5 North Dakota state fish records that may never be broken. You can read all about those below.

(SEE ALSO: 5 North Dakota state fish records that may never be broken)

Records are made to be Broken

You know what they say, "Records are made to be broken."  The 5 fish records I wrote about have really stood the test of time. The state record for perch was caught back in 1982 by Kyle Smith of Carrington, North Dakota, weighing 2 lbs, 15 oz, and was caught on March 28th.

Devils Lake is known for its JUMBO Perch

Even though the size structure has taken a hit over the last few years, Devils Lake is still the place you want to go in the state if you have aspirations of a state record perch. Other, smaller lakes in the state also produce big perch, but most are fished out of potential state records before any fish can reach state record status.

You see, perch are considered one of the best-eating fish in the state. Many oldtimers will even go as far as to say perch are better eating than walleye. That is a BOLD statement, Cotton, as walleye meat is almost like "gold" in our neck of the woods.

The NEW North Dakota State Perch Record?

No surprise, it was caught at Devils Lake, North Dakota's largest natural lake, with up to 200,000 acres of water depending on varying water levels. Plenty of room for a big perch to roam and hide.

Take a look at this potential new state perch, which weighed 2.99 on a digital scale.

This perch measured 16 1/2 inches, and is the new "unofficial" state record perch, and was caught by Alan Hintz of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, yesterday. Hintz was fishing with the Perch Patrol Guide Service. The North Dakota Game and Fish will now take up to a month to verify this state record. So, we wait for the official record announcement. Congrats to this lucky angler.