An Unbelievably Fat Perch Shatters The Idaho State Record

Adam Mann of Wisconsin just caught a 16.25-inch long perch that weighed a whopping 3.22lbs, setting a new Idaho state record. The fish came from the famed Lake Cascade, which is undoubtedly the best place in the country to catch a truly giant yellow perch.

Adam was fishing a small tungsten ice jig tipped with a nightcrawler when the record-setting yellow perch bit. While it was Adam’s first visit to Lake Cascade, this guy is drilling holes and dropping jigs and estimated 3-4 days a week back home in Wisconsin, a state with a rich ice fishing culture.

According to the Idaho Fish and Game, Lake Cascade has really been on the rebound since a complete overhaul of the lake roughly 20 years ago. The Pikeminnow, an invasive fish to Lake Cascade, was wreaking havoc on other fish populations, like the perch, which resulted in unfavorable fishing conditions. By removing the pikeminnow and heavily stocking perch, the Idaho Game and Fisheries was able to turn the table and restore the lake into the sporting fishery it once was.

Since this project, anglers have flocked to Lake Cascade in droves, mostly to chase trophy perch. While open water fishing is a popular pastime, it seems like the biggest perch are usually caught during the winter months by ice anglers. Lake Cascade has repeatedly produced jaw-dropping caliber perch with bellies so fat; it looks like their digestive system has been corked shut.

Congrats to Adam Mann on setting the yellow perch Idaho state record with his whopping 16.25-inch fish. With a fish that big, some might think this record will never fall. However, if the perch population in Lake Cascade continues to thrive, even bigger fish might be popping their heads through the ice in winters to come.