Historical Information on the Perch Fish

Earliest Known Perch

• Some of the oldest perch fossils were found in Utah and Wyoming and date back 38 million years. Two prehistoric relatives of the perch are the mioplosus labracoides and the priscacara liops. Fossils of both of these fish have been found in southwestern Wyoming. These perch predecessors fed on knightia fish, which share many similarities to modern herring, and shared similar bone structure with modern perch.

Largest Caught Perch

• There are many types of perch, all of which can grow to different sizes, and the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) keeps track of largest fish caught. As of 2011, the largest yellow perch caught was 4 pounds and 3 ounces, and was caught in Cross Wicks Creek, New Jersey in 1865. The world record for the largest white/silver perch caught according to the IGFA was 3 pounds and 1 ounce, and was caught in Forest Hill Park, New Jersey in 1989.

White/Silver Perch in the Great Lakes

• The white perch was first classified by Gmelin in 1789. They were originally native to the Atlantic, from Maine to South Carolina. White perch first entered the Great Lakes in 1950, travelling through the Erie Canal. This type of perch is considered an invasive species because it has proliferated in an unnatural environment. In 1967, white perch were accidentally released into the Mississippi River, and since then other states have released this fish into new bodies of water for sport. The danger of expanding the white perch's territory is that it commonly feeds off of fish eggs and breeds rapidly, declining the population of other fish. Another issue found with white perch is that they breed with white bass, hybridizing the species.

Yellow Perch Life History

• Perch fish typically enjoy cool, clear waters and tend to migrate to different parts of ponds, lakes and streams at different times of the year. In winter, yellow perch tend to live near the bottom of a body of water, while during summer nights and springtime, they can be found near the surface. During summer days, yellow perch tend to float in the middle of a body of water. They spawn once a year, and females release between 10,000 to 40,000 eggs. Yellow perch do not build nests. They can live up to seven years, and begin reproducing between ages two and three.