Yellow Perch
Perca flavescens
A schooling panfish with distinctive golden flanks and dark vertical bands, the yellow perch is a staple of ice fishing and open-water fishing alike, popular for its sweet, flaky fillets. Perch travel in large schools near weed lines and drop-offs, making for fast, family-friendly action.
Weed lines, drop-offs, and open-water schools over sand or gravel.
How to Catch Yellow Perch
Whether you're new to targeting Yellow Perch or refining your approach, success starts with matching your tactics to where the fish lives. Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) is typically found in lake water and reservoir water, so concentrate your effort where those conditions line up. Mature Yellow Perch average around 9 inches, which helps you choose the right line, lure size, and tackle for the fight.
Where to Find Yellow Perch in the USA & Canada
Yellow Perch is recorded across a range of North American waters, including spots in Alberta, British Columbia, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Rhode Island, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Browse the linked water guides below to see the specific lakes, rivers, and coastal waters where anglers report catching Yellow Perch, then plan a trip around the water closest to you.
Yellow Perch Fishing Regulations & Limits
Fishing rules for Yellow Perch vary by state and province. Before you head out, check the daily bag limits, minimum size limits, and open seasons that apply in your area. When FishFinder has matching records, the regulations link below takes you to the rules hub. Following local limits keeps Yellow Perch populations healthy for future seasons.
Related Water Guides for Yellow Perch
Explore these FishFinder water guides for places where Yellow Perch is recorded:
- Lake Erie — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Columbia River — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Flathead Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Ontario — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Winnipeg — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Nipissing — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Simcoe — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Scugog — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Long Point Bay — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake St. Clair — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Bay of Quinte — Yellow Perch fishing water
- St. Lawrence River — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Charlie Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Osoyoos Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Newell — Yellow Perch fishing water
- St. Mary Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Crawling Valley Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Pigeon Lake (Alberta) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Gull Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Sylvan Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Buck Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Wabamun Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Cold Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lac La Biche — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Calling Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lesser Slave Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Baptiste Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Wabasca Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Utikuma Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Gregoire Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Christina Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Diefenbaker — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Last Mountain Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Buffalo Pound Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Blackstrap Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Echo Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Katepwa Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Pasqua Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Fishing Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Good Spirit Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Greenwater Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Rafferty Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Boundary Dam Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Qu'Appelle River — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Ministikwan Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Chitek Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Tobin Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Codette Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Candle Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Emma Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Jackfish Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Murray Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Delaronde Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- East Trout Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Dore Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Greig Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Amisk Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Deschambault Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Smoothstone Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Manitoba — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Winnipegosis — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Dauphin Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake of the Prairies — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Falcon Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Wahtopanah — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Pelican Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Wellman Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Child's Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Clearwater Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Wekusko Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Cormorant Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Rocky Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Setting Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Threepoint Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Island Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Fleuve Saint-Laurent — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lac des Deux Montagnes — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Rivière des Mille Îles — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lac Saint-François — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Rivière Richelieu — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lac Saint-Pierre — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lac Abitibi — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Loch Lomond Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Saint John River — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Mactaquac Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Grand Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Ainslie — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lochaber Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Shubenacadie Grand Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Porters Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Tusket River — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Rossignol — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Milo — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Shortts Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Candlewood Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Bantam Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Lillinonah — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Squantz Pond — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Highland Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Gardner Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Mansfield Hollow Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Coventry Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Pachaug Pond — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Mashapaug Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lums Pond — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Killens Pond — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Garrisons Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Cascade — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Magic Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- American Falls Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Mississippi River (Illinois-Iowa Border) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Michigan (Illinois Waters) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Michigan (Indiana Waters) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Wawasee — Yellow Perch fishing water
- West Okoboji Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Spirit Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Storm Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Mississippi River (Iowa Waters) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Sebago Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Moosehead Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- East Grand Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Pushaw Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Deep Creek Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Youghiogheny River Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Liberty Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Loch Raven Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Prettyboy Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Piney Run Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Little Seneca Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Triadelphia Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Rocky Gap Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Quabbin Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Wachusett Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Onota Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Pontoosuc Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Congamond Lakes — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Chaubunagungamaug — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Cochituate — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Connecticut River (Massachusetts) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Merrimack River (Massachusetts) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake St. Clair (Michigan) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- St. Clair River — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Detroit River — Yellow Perch fishing water
- St. Marys River (Michigan) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Saginaw Bay — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Erie (Michigan) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Houghton Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Higgins Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Torch Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Burt Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Mullett Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Black Lake (Michigan) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Gull Lake (Michigan) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Otsego Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Gogebic — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Tahquamenon River — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Mille Lacs Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Leech Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Vermilion — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Winnibigoshish — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Kabetogama — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Upper Red Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Minnetonka — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake of the Woods (Minnesota) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- St. Croix River (Minnesota) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Pepin — Yellow Perch fishing water
- St. Louis River Estuary — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Red River of the North — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Big Stone Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Mary Ronan — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Seeley Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Canyon Ferry Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Hauser Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Holter Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Elwell (Tiber Reservoir) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake McConaughy — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Ogallala — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Calamus Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lewis and Clark Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Box Butte Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Minatare — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Smith Lake WMA — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Pelican Lake (Valentine NWR) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Two Rivers SRA — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Sutherland Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Maloney — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Wildhorse Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Willow Creek Reservoir (Nevada) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Winnipesaukee — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Squam Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Winnisquam Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Conway Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Silver Lake (New Hampshire) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Spofford Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Jericho Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Massabesic Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Umbagog Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Connecticut River (New Hampshire) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Merrimack River (New Hampshire) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Hopatcong — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Greenwood Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Mountain Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Splitrock Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Aeroflex — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Erie (New York) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Ontario (New York) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- St. Lawrence River (New York) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Champlain — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Seneca Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Keuka Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Canandaigua Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Skaneateles Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Oneida Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake George (New York) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Great Sacandaga Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Chautauqua Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Otsego Lake (New York) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Whitney Point Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Phelps — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Oahe — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Audubon — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Devils Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Stump Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Jamestown Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Buffalo Lake (Sargent County) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Spiritwood Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Ashtabula — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Metigoshe — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Darling — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Siltcoos Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Henry Hagg Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Presque Isle Bay — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Wallenpaupack — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Pawcatuck River — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Watchaug Pond — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Worden Pond — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Stafford Pond — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Flat River Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Indian Lake (Rhode Island) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Traverse — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Waubay Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Bitter Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Enemy Swim Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Horseshoe Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Poinsett — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Thompson — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Kampeska — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Roy Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Pactola Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Sheridan Lake (South Dakota) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Stockade Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Parksville Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Flaming Gorge Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Fish Lake (Utah) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Jordanelle Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Deer Creek Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Willard Bay Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Starvation Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Pineview Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Yuba Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Red Fleet Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Moomaw — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Roosevelt — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Banks Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Moses Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Potholes Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Washington (Seattle) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Sammamish — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Silver Lake (Cowlitz County) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Mayfield Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Snake River (Washington) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Cheat Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Winnebago — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Green Bay — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lower Fox River — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Michigan (Wisconsin Waters) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Superior (Wisconsin Waters) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Mississippi River (Wisconsin-Minnesota Boundary) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Menominee River — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Chippewa Flowage — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Turtle-Flambeau Flowage — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Eagle River Chain of Lakes — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Minocqua Chain — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Mendota — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Koshkonong — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Geneva Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Big Green Lake — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Boysen Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Deaver Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- High Savery Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Glendo Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Seminoe Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Pathfinder Reservoir — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Lake Hattie — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Ocean Lake (Wyoming) — Yellow Perch fishing water
- Wheatland Reservoir No. 3 — Yellow Perch fishing water
Yellow Perch Regulations
Review current FishFinder regulation records before targeting Yellow Perch:
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of water is best for catching Yellow Perch?
Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) is typically found in lake water and reservoir water. Focus your effort where those conditions line up to improve your chances.
How big does Yellow Perch get?
Mature Yellow Perch average around 9 inches, though individual fish can run larger. Matching your line, lure size, and tackle to that range makes for a better fight and landing rate.
Where can I catch Yellow Perch in the USA and Canada?
Yellow Perch is reported across North American waters, including spots in Alberta, British Columbia, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Rhode Island, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Check the locations listed on this page to find the lakes, rivers, and coastal waters closest to you.
Do I need a fishing license to catch Yellow Perch?
A valid fishing license is required in most US states and Canadian provinces. Daily bag limits, minimum size limits, and open seasons for Yellow Perch vary by region, so review the regulations on this page and with your local wildlife authority before heading out.