Perca flavescens
(Mitchill, 1814)

Yellow Perch

Above: A Lake Michigan Perch. Photo by Sam Borstein.

Etymology:

Genus- Perca= perch (Greek).
Species- flavescens= yellowish (Greek)

Intro:

Perch are not only pretty, fun to catch, but also tasty. This is a great fish to catch, especially large Great Lakes Perch, which get over a foot commonly.

Habitat:

Yellow Perch like clear water with a sand or gravel substrate. They are usually found around a little bit of cover. They can be found in ponds, lakes, and rivers, but the largest ones occur in the Great Lakes of the Midwest.

Spawning:

Spawning occurs in late spring to summer. Eggs are attached to vegetation.

Diet:

Yellow Perch feed on insects and their larvae, small fish, and crayfish.

Size:

Ones found in ponds are usually small, under a foot. The Lake Perch are usually larger and can be up to 15 inches and a pound or two.

Keeping In Aquaria:

It is possible and usually easy to keep this fish in an aquarium. The fish do lose a lot of color though.

Gaming Qualities:

Yellow Perch are a blast to catch. They are supposed to be great to catch while ice fishing.

Fishing Tips:

Jigs and live bait work best. They are close to shore during the spring and early summer.