Yellow Perch
(Perca flavescens)
Other names: Lake perch, perch, American perch, striped perch, coon perch, jack perch
Yellow Perch are found primarily in the northern half of the United States and throughout Canada though they have been successfully introduced as far south as Florida, Georgia and Texas. The largest and most abundant perch are considered to be in Great Lakes drainage areas.
Colors can vary among fish, but generally the perch's back will range from bright green to dark olive green or golden brown. Sides are bright yellow to brassy-green and the back color extends down in tapering, vertical bars. Much like other fish species, spawning males have more intense coloring with bright red-orange fins and more brightness all around.
Yellow perch are most popular in North Dakota and the Great Lakes states where anglers know them for their delicious white, flaky flesh, similar to walleye. Perch over 13 or 14 inches are commonly referred to as "jumbos" and are prized among anglers. Small perch hang out in school and are a common forage for walleye and other predators until they reach a size large enough that they will actually begin travelling with walleye in search of food.
The yellow perch is primarily a lake fish, though it is sometimes found in ponds, rivers and slow-moving streams where they are much smaller. They can usually be found in less than 30 feet of water, with the small fish relating to shorelines and the larger ones heading for deeper water. From rock piles and deep drop-offs to outside edges of submerged vegetation and main lake points, perch prefer clear, cool water. In the winter, they roam deep flats close to rock piles and reefs.
Perch spawn shortly after ice out. They do not build nests; rather, eggs are dropped on sand bars, brush, rocks or other underwater debris where several males will fertilize them.