Yellow Perch: Where and How to Catch Them by Season
Where Yellow Perch hold, what to throw and when the bite peaks, season by season, with lakes to try.
When the bite is on
Across 548 lakes in our guide that list this fish, the bite rates highest in January, February, December. Bars show how strong the bite is, month by month (tallest bar in red is the peak).
Season by season
Right after ice-out, perch move to shallows with weeds and reeds in 2-10 ft to spawn. Small minnows, jigs, and tiny spoons near cover are dependable.
They school along weed edges, drop-offs, and sand flats of 10-25 ft. Fish mornings and evenings. Drop-shot rigs, minnows, and small jigs tipped with worms are hard to beat.
Fall brings active schools on flats and deeper weeds at 10-30 ft. Once you catch one, stay put: there are usually many more. Small jigs and minnows fished near bottom.
In winter they travel in schools over basins and flats at 15-40 ft. Spoons, jigging raps, and small jigs with minnow heads or wax worms are staples through the ice.
Spawn arrives at 45-50F, in shallow water with weeds, brush or submerged branches, in ribbons of eggs. Look in sheltered bays at dawn.
Baits that work
- Live minnows
- Small jigs with wax worms
- Jigging spoons
- Drop-shot with small plastics
- Nightcrawler pieces
Common mistakes
- Leaving a school after one fish
- Fishing off the bottom
- Using line that is too thick
- Fishing too early in the day for midday bites
Lakes to try
Lakes in our guide where this fish rates at its best, with maps, boat ramps and bait shops on every page.