State Record-Setting Fish Caught In Delaware County: Officials

CHESTER, PA — A fish caught in Delaware County in April broke a state record, officials said.

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Friday announced it has certified a new state record White Perch, which weighed in at 2 pounds, 1 ounce.

Christopher Barrett, 19, of Mohnton, Berks County, landed the fish while out with his father, Craig on Sunday, April 14.

The father-son angler due headed out from Ridley Township Municipal Marina in Delaware County on a 20-foot center console fishing boat that day.

After navigating Darby Creek, the pair entered the Delaware River and began fishing just below the Commodore Barry Bridge, near Chester.

They were using heavy duty spinning rods fitted with fish finder rigs and circle hooks baited with bloodworms to target Striped Bass and catfish but were also catching White Perch.

At around 11 a.m., Christopher Barrett reeled in a large perch that caught the attention of both anglers, officials said.

"We usually keep a few perch to eat, and when I went to put that one in the cooler, we both said that’s got to be the biggest White Perch we’ve ever seen," Christopher Barrett said. "When we got back to the dock, my dad looked up the state record for Pennsylvania, which was under two pounds. We weighed the fish on our own scale, and it was 2 pounds, 3 ounces. So, we started to get really excited at that point."

The next morning, Christopher Barrett contacted the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's Southeast Region Office.

Waterways Conservation Officer Derek Norman arranged to meet the angler at the Bowmansville Post Office, which has a certified scale.

Officials said the White Perch officially tipped the scales at 2 pounds, 1 ounce, exceeding the previous state record, also caught in the Delaware River in 2008, by five ounces.

While only weight is considered for state record certification in Pennsylvania, the fish measured 14.125 inches long with a girth of 12.25 inches.

An inspection of the fish was also conducted, including an examination of the contents of its stomach, which appeared normal for a large female White Perch, officials said.

"I’m so grateful for this record, but even more excited that I got to share this experience with my dad," Christopher Barrett said. "We go fishing all the time together and it’s our favorite thing in the world to do. We’ll never forget this."