Yellow Perch

Perca flavescens

Natural-history illustration of a yellow perch with dark bars and orange lower fins
Reviewed species illustration. Confirm your catch with current state identification resources before keeping fish.

Yellow perch are a beloved panfish of northern lakes and the Great Lakes basin, prized both as sport fish and table fare. Their delicate, sweet white flesh makes them one of freshwater fishing's finest eating fish. Perch school in large numbers and are highly catchable, making them popular with families and ice fishermen. Their golden-yellow sides with dark vertical bars and orange-tipped lower fins make them easy to identify. They grow slowly — a 12-inch perch may be 8–10 years old.

Catching Tips

Live minnows or small jigs tipped with a minnow head fished vertically are top perch tactics. In summer, perch often suspend over deep water — use a fish finder to locate the school, then present at their exact depth. Ice fishing for perch is iconic in the Midwest — small tungsten jigs tipped with wax worms or spikes produce well through the ice.

World Record

4.375 lbs
Weight
Bordentown, New Jersey
Location
1865
Year

No stocking events recorded yet for Yellow Perch.