Yellow Perch
Perca flavescens
Yellow perch have two separate dorsal fins: one spiny and one smooth. (Caranx latus/Flickr)
The yellow perch is a bright yellow fish with dark, vertical bars on its sides. It lives year-round in the Chesapeake Bay’s rivers.
Appearance:
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Elongated, golden or greenish-yellow body
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5-8 dark, vertical bands on the sides
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Two separate dorsal fins: one spiny and one smooth
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Reddish-orange fins (spawning males have more intensely colored fins)
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Forked tail fin
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Grows to 12 inches long
Habitat:
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Native to freshwater rivers and streams
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Has adapted to living in brackish waters
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Usually found near the shoreline among bay grass beds, which provide food and shelter
Range:
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Common in most Chesapeake Bay rivers, often near the mouths of rivers
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In early spring, migrates upriver to spawn in freshwater streams
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Often travels in schools
Feeding:
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Feeds on insect larvae, crustaceans and small fish
Predators:
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An important food source for freshwater predators
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Herring gulls and diving ducks also prey upon yellow perch
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
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Spawns in late February-March
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Considered to be semi-anadromous, which means it lives in fresh or brackish rivers and spawns in small, shallow freshwater streams
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The female lays long, gelatinous strands of amber-colored eggs, which stick to underwater vegetation, tree braches and other debris
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After spawning, adults migrate back downstream
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Females mature at 2-4 years old, while males mature about one year earlier
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Can live for 13 years
Other Facts:
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Yellow perch are relatively poor swimmers. They are not able to accelerate quickly.
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Used to be abundant, but populations have declined because of pollution in the freshwater streams where it spawns
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A popular recreational catch
Sources and Additional Information:
