53-time world champ breaks state record for white perch
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — A Michigan dentist who holds 53 previous world records in fly-fishing has recently caught the largest recorded white perch in state history.
Scott Smith of Adrian caught the “monstrous” white perch, weighing in at 2 pounds, 5.92 ounces and measuring 16.25 inches, while fishing with a friend on Lake St. Clair April 25.
The Department of Natural Resources reports that Smith’s record-breaker has edged out the previous state-record white perch, which weighed 2 pounds and measured 13.57 inches when Cindy Cordo caught it in 2015 in Muskegon County.
Cleyo Harris, a fisheries biologist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, verified Smith’s record-beating fish.
“I’ve been fishing in Michigan for close to 65 years,” Smith said. “I grew up fishing the Detroit River. We used to ride our bikes down there as kids, throw in a line with our bait and ‘ride’ the catch home.”
Though holding the new state white perch record is a feat, Smith has already broken 53 world records, starting with a rainbow trout he caught back in 1996.
Smith, who also has taught fly-fishing in northern Michigan for 35 years, said this is his first state-record fish.
“Sometimes you’re in the right spot at the right time, and sometimes you just get lucky,” Smith said.
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