Yellow Perch
Perca flavescens
Yellow perch have two separate dorsal fins: one spiny and one smooth. (Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)
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
The yellow perch has an elongated, golden or greenish-yellow body with five to eight dark, vertical bands on its sides. It grows to 12 inches in length. Its fins are reddish-orange, with spawning males having more intensely colored fins. It has a forked tail fin and two separate dorsal fins: one spiny and one smooth.
Feeding
Yellow perch feed on insect larvae, crustaceans and small fish.
Predators
Yellow perch is an important food source for freshwater predators. Herring gulls and diving ducks also prey upon yellow perch.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Spawning occurs in late February to March. The yellow perch is considered to be semi-anadromous, which means it lives in fresh or brackish rivers and spawns in small, shallow freshwater streams. The female lays long, gelatinous strands of amber-colored eggs, which stick to underwater vegetation, tree braches and other debris. After spawning, adults migrate back downstream. Females mature between 2 to 4 years old, while males mature about one year earlier. Yellow perch can live for 13 years.
Did You Know?
- Yellow perch are relatively poor swimmers, because they are not able to accelerate quickly.
- These fish used to be abundant, but populations have declined because of pollution in the freshwater streams where they spawn.
- Yellow perch are a popular recreational catch. Anglers sometimes refer to yellow perch as jumbo perch or jack perch.
Sources and Additional Information
- Fishes of Chesapeake Bay by Edward O. Murdy, Ray S. Birdsong and John A. Musick
- Life in the Chesapeake Bay by Alice Jane Lippson and Robert L. Lippson
- Maryland Fish Facts: Yellow Perch – Maryland Department of Natural Resources
- Animal Diversity Web: Perca flavescens – University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
Quick Facts
Species
Native
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Size
12 inches in length -
Habitat
Native to freshwater rivers and streams, has adapted to living in brackish waters. Usually found near the shoreline among bay grass beds, which provide food and shelter.
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Range
Common in most Chesapeake Bay rivers, often near the mouths of rivers. Migrates upriver in early spring to spawn in freshwater streams. Often travels in schools.
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Diet
Feeds on insect larvae, crustaceans and small fish -
Lifespan
13 years -
Status
Stable
