Time to Target the Tasty Yellow Perch Baby !

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Yellow perch

The yellow perch, commonly referred to as perch, is a freshwater perciform fish native to much of North America. The yellow perch was described in 1814 by Samuel Latham Mitchill from New York. Yellow perch are closely related, and morphologically similar to the European perch; however, the two are recognized as independent species based on anatomical and genetic differences. Other common names for yellow perch include American perch, coontail, lake perch, raccoon perch, ring-tail perch, ringed perch, and striped perch.

 Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) make their spawning run from late February to mid-March and offer some of the earliest opportunities for sport fishermen to break out their rods and tackle. Their delicate meat and early arrival makes these fish a favorite among many anglers.
Striking in appearance, yellow perch are easily recognized by vertical bands of golden yellow and dark olive green.
Populations of yellow perch are most prevalent in the Tri-State man made earthen dam ponds, lakes and reservoirs. These fish spend most of the year in schools and migrate at last ice to spawn. Yellow perch never leave their river system where they hatched; they merely move between brackish and freshwater. The gradual warming of water triggers spawning.
The fish deposits accordion-like chains of eggs in areas of a river with large amounts of organic debris. One egg chain may be fertilized by as many as 15–25 males. Once spawning is complete, adults leave the eggs and migrate back to brackish water.
The egg chain may be attached to underwater vegetation or bottom debris. The unusual shape of the chain allows water to swirl gently around and through the chain, aerating the eggs. This is essential for respiration and to prevent bacteria and fungi from growing on and killing the eggs.
Eggs hatch in two to three weeks. After a few days, the larval fish begin feeding on microscopic organisms. Later, juvenile fish will join adults in the brackish portion of a river. Males reach sexual maturity in 1–3 years; females in 3–4.
Each life stage of yellow perch is sensitive to different environmental factors. Agricultural and urban development increases the amount of sediment, nutrients and chemicals entering streams. This development also reduces the amount of naturally vegetated areas surrounding rivers and streams that would absorb these substances.
Excessive sediment adheres to eggs, reducing the oxygen they receive. Sedimentation may also reduce hatching success or delay hatching time. The survival of larvae is reduced when fine grains adhere to and damage sensitive gills.
Excessive nutrients affect all fish populations by altering the physical characteristics of water, raising water temperature and reducing dissolved oxygen. Low-dissolved oxygen retards growth and, in some cases, can kill fish. Some fish leave their preferred habitat because of low-dissolved oxygen and temperature changes. The resulting changes may also reduce the benthic organisms that yellow perch prey on.
Although somewhat acid-tolerant as adults, newly hatched perch are more sensitive to acidic conditions. Sulfur and nitrogen oxides emitted into the air through the burning of fossil fuels mix with water vapor, forming sulfuric and nitric acids that fall back to the ground as acid rain. Chronic exposure to slight-to-moderate acidic conditions can inhibit fish growth and damage body organs. Young fish may be killed when heavy rains result in a pulse of highly acidic water moving downstream.
Fresh water fishers anxiously look forward to fishing for yellow perch, as they are among the first fish to arrive upstream in rivers after a long winter.
But for this tradition to continue, yellow perch need water that is free of contaminants, blockages and excessive nutrients and sediments. They need aquatic habitat with organic matter for spawning and habitat that supports the insects, other invertebrates and smaller fish they prey on.
  David Ames, Master Sportsman knows how to make a fish fry of firm flesh yellow perch and usually gets the task when the local group heads up to New Hampshire for the Meridith Rotary Tournament on Winni. which was held last week and Dave placed a fish on the leader board Saturday. When I was growing up my older mentors I had always relished the Yellow Perch Season !