Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens)

Description

The yellow perch is perhaps the best known fish among biologists of all ages. The body of the perch is typical of bony fish and is used to demonstrate common fish anatomy, physiology, and habits. It is a smaller (113 g to 284 g) fish of the Percidae family, and is characterized by the six to eight broad, dark, vertical bars on its side. The yellow perch has a number of color variations, but is usually dark olive green or bronze on the back with a white belly. The mouth contains many fine teeth. The flesh is considered to be one of the tastiest of the freshwater fish. To the ecosystem, perch are the main food to other freshwater fish inhabiting the water bodies in this province.

Diet

Yellow perch eat animal plankton, aquatic insects, freshwater shrimp, snails, clams and fish. Growth rates depend upon the availability of food and perch tend to overpopulate themselves. They are able to survive in oxygen depleted waters and survive winterkill conditions when other fish have not. Clear water is preferred to turbid water, which can result in death of the fish.

Reproduction

Spawning occurs in shallow water in April or May and during the night. Eggs are laid in long strands from 0.6 m to 2.2 m long. They are released over submerged vegetation, roots of trees or rocks and hatch after about three weeks. The number of eggs laid varies from 10 000 to 15 000 eggs per season from a female of 227 g. Young perch stay in shallow water until they grow older and larger, moving into the open water.

Habitat

This species can be found in many of the rivers, streams, weedy pond, bays and lakes in Saskatchewan. The Qu'Appelle Valley chain has many perch. Young anglers can fish from shore for perch using float fishing.