Perca flavescens
Perca flavescens
The Yellow Perch is a
long fish for its size, growing up to 15 inches long. A
large one can weigh over four pounds, but they are usually
much smaller. The Yellow Perch is
yellowish in color, with five to eight dark bars going from
its back almost to its belly. Its fins are olive colored,
except for its pelvic (chest) fins,
which are orange or red. The Native Fish
Conservancy This fish lives in ponds,
lakes, and streams. They need water with lots of
vegetation
(plants). Yellow Perch often
school
(group together), especially in deep water. They come into
shallow water to feed at dawn and dusk. In the summer, Yellow
Perch spend more time in shallow water than any other time
of year. Yellow Perch
spawn
(mate) in early Spring. Females lay eggs in strands (up to
40,000). They tend to attach the strands to underwater
plants or sticks. Soon after the female has
laid the eggs, several males will come along and fertilize
them. Then the eggs swell up and the egg strand may be eight
feet long! Yellow Perch do not care
for their eggs or young. The Native Fish
Conservancy Young Yellow Perch hatch
from their eggs about three weeks after they were laid. They
usually stick to shallow water around vegetation until they
are bigger. Young Yellow Perch eat
mostly algae
and plankton.
As they get older, they will begin eating aquatic
insects. Larger Yellow Perch eat
small fish, insects, crayfish, snails, mussels, leeches,
fish eggs, and worms. Sometimes they eat other Yellow
Perch. Predators
of Yellow Perch include larger fish, such as Largemouth
Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Black Crappie, Channel Catfish, Chain
Pickerel, Walleye, Bluegill and other sunfish. Birds,
including herons, gulls, eagles, hawks, kingfishers, and
mergansers eat them as well. Other fish-eating
animals, such as turtles and bullfrogs may also take a
Yellow Perch. Yellow Perch stay active
throughout the winter.
Relationships in Nature:
Relationship to Humans:
Many people eat Yellow Perch, and they are a favorite among fishermen. Most people use worms or minnows to try to catch them. Yellow Perch also help people by controlling populations of other fish and aquatic animals.