A man from Michigan caught the new state record yellow perch on Ocoee Lake #3 on March 26, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
Jeremy Lorenz is the new state record-holder with his 2 pound, 5 ounce yellow perch, TWRA officials said in a statement on the record.
The previous record was a tie, of a 2 pound, 3 ounce fish taken by Trenton McCoy in January of 2017 and the same size fish taken by Richard Marsich in July of 2018, officials said.
Jeremy Lorenz caught the new state record yellow perch on Ocoee Lake.Officials said Lorenz was visiting a cousin, Birchwood, Tennessee, resident Eric Reed, and got a temporary license to fish for a few days.
“Reed had fished there only once and both anglers headed out early with pan fish in mind, on the dreary Tuesday morning,” the release states. “With just a few minnows left, Reed saw a bald eagle. Reed referred to something the men’s grandfather had taught them as children, to watch and learn from nature. They headed to the spot the eagle was circling and decided this would be their last hole before heading to shore.”