Species profile
Yellow Perch
Perca flavescens
Identify Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) from a photo — free, unlimited, no sign-up — with the CatchRules iPhone app. Plus current fishing rules across 36 jurisdictions.
At a glance
Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 40 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
The strictest bag limit is 1 (South Dakota); the most generous is 100 (New Brunswick).
Across 9 jurisdictions with stated minimum sizes, the average minimum is 9.9 in.
Confirmed by 9,442 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Ontario, Michigan, and New York the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Its body is bright yellow-green with 6–8 bold dark vertical bands running from back to belly.
- Females deposit eggs in distinctive accordion-folded, gelatinous ribbons that can stretch several feet long.
- Yellow perch can live up to 11 years in the wild.
- They typically measure 4–12 inches, though fish over 15 inches are caught in productive northern lakes.
- Widely regarded as one of the best-tasting freshwater fish in North America.
Where Yellow Perch are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Yellow Perch
Background
The yellow perch (Perca flavescens), commonly referred to as perch, is a freshwater perciform fish native to much of North America. The yellow perch was described in 1814 by Samuel Latham Mitchill from New York. It is closely related, and morphologically similar to the European perch (Perca fluviatilis); and is sometimes considered a subspecies of its European counterpart.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Yellow Perch article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Frequently asked questions
What is Yellow Perch?
Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 40 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
What is the scientific name for Yellow Perch?
Yellow Perch is Perca flavescens.
Is Yellow Perch regulated for fishing?
Yes — Yellow Perch has fishing regulations in 36 U.S. states and/or Canadian provinces tracked by CatchRules. See the "Jurisdictions with rules" section above for the binding-source links.
How can I identify Yellow Perch?
Take a photo with the free CatchRules iPhone app — on-device identification recognizes Yellow Perch along with ~1,500 other species. No sign-up, unlimited use.
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.