Georgia fisherman ties state record after reeling in surprise 'trophy-size' catch

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A fisherman recently reeled in a bright-colored catch to tie a record that was first set in Georgia 10 years ago.

Emerson Mulhall, 20, a resident of Cumming, was out on Lake Burton on Feb. 18, when he caught hold of something unlike anything he had before.

"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," Mulhall told the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (Georgia DNR) in a recent press release.

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"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."

Emerson Mulhall tied a state fishing record after reeling in a 2 pound, 9 ounce yellow perch on Feb. 18 in Georgia. (Connor Robbins/ Emerson Mulhall)

Mulhall has now tied the state fishing record that was first set in 2013 for yellow perch after catching his own 2 pound, 9 ounce fish which measured 16 inches long.

Yellow perch are known for their golden yellow color and vertical stripes from the back of the fish to the belly.

This species can weigh up to 3 pounds, but it is more common to catch one under one pound, the Georgia DNR reported.

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These larger, "trophy-size" yellow perch are a product of North Georgia's walleye stock program, officials with the Georgia DNR added.

Yellow perch can weigh up to 3 pounds, but it is more common to catch one that is under a pound. (Connor Robbins/ Emerson Mulhall)

If you are looking to get your hands on some of these record-setting sizes, Georgia DNR officials noted that these larger fish are typically reeled in early spring.

"I would bet that holding a state record tie is a great motivator for Emerson, and all anglers, to take advantage of the amazing angling opportunities all over the state and try to land that next record," Scott Robinson, chief of fisheries for the wildlife resources division, said in the press release.

"Don’t let someone else beat you to it–get outdoors and Go Fish Georgia!"

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Robinson hopes Mulhall has inspired some other young fisherman who hope to reel in something special.

Scott Robinson, chief of fisheries for the wildlife resources division, hopes Mulhall (pictured here) inspires younger fisherman to land a record of their own. (Connor Robbins/ Emerson Mulhall)

"It is exciting to see someone young like Emerson get this kind of accomplishment as we hope it fires up more anglers of his age," Robinson told Fox News Digital.

"Georgia has some amazing and varied fishing resources, and you never know when that next state record is just waiting on you to get out there. Worst case scenario, if we can call it that, is that you end up having 'just' a day of fishing on the water. I would say that is a sacrifice we all would like to make," Robinson added.

Mulhall may not have reeled in his usual catch, but it appears that he was not disappointed with the surprise.

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"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.

Mulhall has reeled in the fishing state record tie after catching a yellow perch on Lake Burton. (Connor Robbins/ Emerson Mulhall)

Fox News Digital reached out to Mulhall for comment.

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