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 Flatfishes, sunfishes, and perchlike
fishes
Yellow Perch
Perca flavescens
DescriptionTo 15" (38 cm); 4 1/4 lbs (1.9 kg).
Oblong, moderately compressed; brassy green to golden yellow above
with 5-8 dusky bars across back almost to belly. Mouth extends to
middle of eye; no canine teeth; preopercle serrate. Dorsal and
caudal fins dusky to olive; pelvic and anal fins light grayish green
to reddish orange; dorsal fins separate; 2 anal fin spines, 6-8 soft
rays. Lateral line complete, 53-59 scales; cheek and opercle
scaled.
HabitatOpen areas in streams, lakes, ponds, and
reservoirs with clear water and aquatic vegetation.
RangeFrom Nova Scotia to Alberta; Great Slave
Lake south to Montana. Atlantic Coast from St. Lawrence River
drainage south to South Carolina; Great Lakes drainage; south in
Mississippi River drainage to Missouri; Gulf drainages of W. Florida
and extreme S. Alabama. Introduced outside native range.
Discussion The Yellow Perch lives in schools in
deep water, and moves into shallower areas to feed at dawn and dusk.
It is a sport and food fish and is harvested commercially in parts
of Canada and the Great Lakes. Anglers use minnows, worms, and other
fishes as live bait.
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