The information on this page will give you everything you need to know about perch and perch fishing. It won’t matter if you’re just starting out with fishing or if you’ve been fishing for 30 years— our tips will make you a better perch fisherman. You’ll start off by learning basic information about perch, followed by some of the best perch fishing tips available to us. In addition you’ll also be able to see the all-time perch fishing records, basic facts about perch and more.

• About Perch (perca flavescens, perca fluviatilis and perca schrenkii)
• Perch Fishing Tips, Tricks and Techniques
• Perch All-Tackle World Fishing Records
• Perch Facts and Statistics
• More Resources on Perch Fishing

About Perch (flavescens, fluviatilis and shrenkii)

Perch is a common name for several types of fish species: yellow perch (perca flavescens), European perch (perca fluviatilis) and balkharsh perch (perca schrenkii). They are freshwater fish that are carnivorous, and commonly found in lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. Their diet consist of shellfish (crayfish), small fish and (depending on their size) aquatic insects. They are a very popular fish among anglers and many other fish that resemble them are called perch, but these other fish are actually members of different breeds. Perch swim in schools and tend to be most active at dawn and dusk when feeding.

You can identify a yellow perch by its brass-colored body with distinct green-olive, triangular shaped bars that run vertically along its body. The yellow perch is one of the most common pan fish in North America. They can live up to 10 years and reach an average length of 5 to 11 inches. Perch that are larger than average can be referred to as jumbos or jack perch.The record catch for yellow perch is well over 140 years old and it’s the longest freshwater fishing record still standing. The reason this record is so old can be attributed to pollution, fishing pressure, and other factors.

Perch Fishing Tips, Tricks and Techniques

Below you’ll find some of the best and most effective tips for fishing for perch. Many of these tips are specific to the North American yellow perch, but they will work for all perch species.

• The Right Artificial Lures – Artificial lures can work well, but you need to pick out the right type— otherwise you are wasting your time. We recommend using a set of poppers or a lightweight jig.
• The Best Live Bait – Perch fishing has changed over the years, but their love for food hasn’t. Live bait is usually more effective than artificial lures. One of the best baits to use are soft shells (crayfish). This type of bait works all year round. If soft shells aren’t available then minnows will work just as well in cool water while night crawlers will work better in warmer water.
• Use a Crappie Rig – A crappie rig is a great way to catch perch and to also see what they might be biting on in your area. We like to rig up different types of live bait on our crappie rigs and see what they are striking on. Once we know, we’ll double up our rig with the bait that works and then wait for a bite. Nothing is more exciting that nailing 2 jumbo perch in one shot. If you’re not a fan of crappie rigs then a simple slip bobber setup will work just as well.
• Don’t Get Mugged – Perch are notorious bait thieves and you’ll want to make sure you use a small hook to prevent them from getting away. Also try to keep your bait on the tip of your hook to better improve your chances of setting a hook when a perch strikes it.
• Don’t Waste Time – When you catch your first perch don’t waste time removing the hook and re-baiting. Perch are schooling fish and where you find one you’ll find many more. Their schools don’t stay in one place for long. Therefore once you find a school you should fish it as fast as possible, hence the use of a crappie rig as mentioned above.

Perch All-Tackle World Fishing Records

Have you ever wondered how your monster perch compares to the all-time world record? The IGFA (International Game Fish Association) maintains and updates international fishing records for all fish species, including perch. Due to fishing pressure, pollution and other factors the yellow perch record hasn’t been broken in over 148 years! Who knows, maybe you’ll get the winning ticket and snag the next future world record perch!

Dr. C. Abbot caught a yellow perch (perca flavescens) in Bordentown, New Jersey in the USA on May 1st, 1865 that weighed 1.91 kg (4 lbs. 3 oz.)

Kalle Vaaranen caught a European perch (perca fluviatilis) in Kokar, Aland Islands in Finland on September 4th, 2010 that weighed 2.9 kg (6 lbs. 6 oz.)

Perch Facts and Statistics

Are you looking for some basic facts and statistics on perch? If so then the data below is perfect for you! Some of the information below represents the top 5% of the bell curve for weight, length, size, etc. for perch. The idea was to provide educational facts and data that would represent what the average angler would find when fishing for perch. Some of the information is also specific to Yellow perch (perca flavescens).

• Scientific Name: Perca flavescens, perca fluviatilis and perca schrenkii
• Nickname(s): American Perch, coontail, lake perch, raccoon perch, ring-tail perch, ringed perch and stripped perch. (Yellow perch, perca flavescens)
• Range: North America
• Lifespan: Up to 13 years (Yellow perch, perca flavescens)
• Length: Up to 18″ (Yellow perch, perca flavescens)
• Weight: Up to 4+ pounds (Yellow perch, perca flavescens)

More Resources on Perch Fishing

We hope that the information provided on this page makes you a better perch angler. In case you’d still like to continue your research into perch fish we put together the list below of third party websites. They should be sufficient for expanding your knowledge base.

• Perch – Wikipedia – Learn more about perch and the three most common species of perch on Wikipedia.