|  The yellow perch is a favorite sport fish of all ages and genera. This small prolific fish, widely distributed in North America's inland waters, has delighted generations of young anglers, not to mention their elders. But perch importance does not stop there. Commercial fishermen catch large numbers, the greatest production coming from the Great Lakes. Today perch is the most valuable commercial catch taken from Ontario waters. As well, in the ecology of many of our rivers and lakes, perch is of inestimable value as the prey of larger fish. The scientific name of perch, Perch flavescent, describes its body coloration perfectly. Perch is an ancient word meaning dusky and flavescent means yellowish. The yellow perch is dusky olive green over the back, and its sides to below the pectoral fins are yellow or yellow-green marked with six to eight broad, dusky, vertical bars. The perch's belly is white. Like other members of the perch family, such as the walleye and sauger, perch has two well-separated dorsal fins, the first spiny-rayed and the second soft rayed. Perch seldom exceeds a length of 15 inches or weighs more than 1 pound. Averaging in weight only 10 inches with weight about 1/3 pound. Primarily a lake fish, the yellow perch is also found in ponds and slow-moving rivers and streams across the northern United States and in all of the Canadian provinces. Perch is especially abundant in the Great Lakes drainage system of Lake St. Clair. Perch occurs as far north as Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories. Perhaps the easiest of all fish to catch, it is taken in all seasons of the year. Perch responds to any type of natural bait and will also attack artificial lures. Usually perch move in large, loose schools which, when encountered, provide the angler with fast and furious activity. Commercial fishermen catch the yellow perch with gillnets, pound nets, and trap nets.An excellent pan fish, the flesh of the yellow perch is firm, white, and sweet tasting. Most of the commercial catch of perch is filleted for sale in the United States, but there is a growing market for perch in Canada. Perch is marketed here both as the whole fish and as fillets. Just Remember ...A Bad Day of Fishing is Better than a Good Day at the Office!!! | |||||||||||||
