Fishing America: Yellow Perch
By Ronald Moody
Yellow perch, sometimes known as Lake or American perch, are
another hugely popular fish found throughout Maine’s waters.
Like several other members of the perch family, yellow perch
are native to Maine, though they have been introduced
artificially into a limited number of waterways, mainly for the
purposes of fishing. Though yellow perch are not particularly
sought-after fish as far as seasoned anglers are concerned,
they do offer a superb fishing opportunity for young or
inexperienced anglers, and as such remain one of Maine’s most
popular game fishes.
Typically, yellow perch are around 6-12 inches in length with a
weight anywhere between 1/4 and 1 pound. However, Maine is
renowned for superb yellow perch, with larger fish reaching 15
inches in length and a weight nearer to 1.5 pounds. The
advantage of this is that even beginner anglers are handed a
challenge, particularly if they land one of the larger fish.
Yellow perch are great looking fish with a number of
distinguishing features. The top side varies in colour from
rich green to olive whilst the sides range from a yellow-green
colour to golden yellow. The belly is typically white, while
the fins are bright orange in colour. Yellow perch also have
6-8 dark bands that run vertically from top to bottom, making
them easily distinguishable from other species. Typically,
yellow perch are found in warm, weedy waters, though adults are
more prone to heading for deeper and more sheltered spots.
The fall and winter months are arguably the best time to land
yellow perch, but like white perch, are a good all year round
catch. Earthworms, minnows, shrimp and artificial lures can all
be used to great effect, and will almost guarantee you a yellow
perch in some of the more abundantly populated rivers and
lakes. If fishing in deeper waters, adding a small weight to
the line and letting the bait sink to one-two foot from the
bottom will yield best results. Also ensure that the line is
fairly tense, as yellow perch in particular have a habit of
taking the bait without alerting the angler.
Yellow perch can be found in countless rivers, lakes, ponds and
streams across Maine, making them one of the most accessible
fish in the state. Particularly popular spots include Great
Pond, Yellow Pond and Cochrane Lake. Their ease of catch,
fantastic looks and abundance has ensured that yellow perch
continue to be a firm favourite and one of Maine’s most
commonly fished species.
About The Author: Ronald Moody has been an avid fisherman for
over 40 years. He enjoys all types of fishing, but especially
likes salt-water fishing; he has been all over the country
practicing his hobby. He is the owner and operator of
FishingZoo.com, a website dedicated to inform
fisherman about Maine fishing, fishing locations, and fish
supply products.
