Yellow Perch

freshwater fish · North America · Great Lakes

Striped swimmers. Yellow perch have distinctive dark stripes running down their sides, which is why some people call them striped perch. These markings help them blend in with underwater plants and rocks.

Great Lakes home. Yellow perch are native to the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River, and the Upper Mississippi River area in North America. They live in freshwater environments like lakes and slow rivers where they can find food and shelter.

Recently named. Scientists first officially described the yellow perch in 1814 when naturalist Samuel Latham Mitchill studied fish from New York. Before that, people caught and ate them without knowing the exact scientific details about the species.

European cousins. Yellow perch are closely related to the European perch and look very similar to them. Scientists once thought they might even be the same species, just living on different continents.

Popular to catch. Yellow perch are beloved by fishers in North America because they're fun to catch and good to eat. They're also an important food source for larger fish, birds, and other wildlife.