Brandy Levi holds the rare Blue Perch she caught during a charter trip on Lake Erie with Captain Bryan Azbell. (Submitted photo)

BY CAPTAIN PEG VANVLEET

Brandy Levi of Springfield, Ohio reeled in a once-in-a-lifetime catch on Saturday, Aug. 8, while fishing aboard the Beth Ann with Captain Bryan “Fingers” Azbell. Levi brought in an exceptionally rare Blue Perch, a naturally occurring but highly uncommon bluepigmented variation of the standard yellow perch.

Azbell said it is only the second time in his long career that he has seen a Blue Perch, and he once saw a Blue Walleye.

“It’s caused by a deficiency of pigmentation in the skin of the fish, similar to a piebald White-tailed Deer,” Azbell said.

The fish was caught during a perch charter on Lake Erie, and Levi has chosen to have the unique specimen mounted.

Longtime Lake Erie charter captain Peg VanVleet of Blue Sky Charters noted that despite decades on the water, she has never encountered a Blue Perch. Even fisheries biologist Travis Hartman expressed surprise when he saw the photo.

“It was a 10 ½-inch perch, so it was a nice perch,” Azbell said.