Yellow Perch
Perca flavescens
- Look for a golden-yellow body with several dark vertical bars (stripes) running down the sides. This striped pattern is the most recognizable feature.
- The fish has two separate dorsal fins: the first is spiny and the second is soft-rayed, a classic perch family trait.
- Compared to the closely related European perch, yellow perch are morphologically very similar, so range and location are key. Yellow perch are a North American species found in freshwater lakes and rivers.
- Adults are typically small, running 4–10 inches long, which helps rule out larger perch-like species in the same water.