Yellow Perch in Idaho
Where to find yellow perch in Idaho and what may be kept.
- no limitbag
Pick for yellow perchPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of the fish, not an Idaho water: USDAgov, Public domain
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Idaho Yellow Perch: rules, waters, records
Keep as many yellow perch as you like: the region blocks print no cap. Quoted from the IDFG Panhandle Region: "No bag, length, or possession limit".
Of 85 Idaho waters where IDFG recommends it, Lake Pend Oreille, American Falls Reservoir and Coeur d'Alene Lake come first by size. IDFG released it in 6 stocking rows on these waters, the latest on October 7, 2025. Taxonomic name on IDFG lists: Perca flavescens.
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| IDFG region | Line as printed |
|---|---|
| IDFG Panhandle Region | No bag, length, or possession limit |
| IDFG Clearwater Region | No bag, length, or possession limits |
| IDFG Southwest Region | No bag, length, or possession limits |
| IDFG Magic Valley Region | No bag, length or possession limit |
| IDFG Southeast Region | No bag, length or possession limit |
| IDFG Upper Snake Region | No bag, length or possession limit |
| IDFG Salmon Region | No bag, length, or possession limits |
Region bag limits from Idaho Fishing Seasons and Rules, 2025-2027, as printed on IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (the brochure PDF on idfg.idaho.gov was unreachable during site maintenance), read November 7, 2026.
Yellow Perch releases on Idaho Planner pages
| Water | Release as printed |
|---|---|
| Payette Greenway Pond | Yellow Perch, 1,169 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), October 7, 2025 |
| Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir | Yellow Perch, 502 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), June 23, 2025 |
| Magic Reservoir | Yellow Perch, 1,300 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), June 11, 2025 |
| Esther Simplot Pond | Yellow Perch, 4,481 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), October 7, 2024 |
| Parkcenter Pond | Yellow Perch, 3,361 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), October 7, 2024 |
| Magic Reservoir | Yellow Perch, 2,461 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), June 14, 2024 |
Stocking rows as printed on the IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (date, species, number and size as listed), read November 7, 2026.
Where to aim for yellow perch in Idaho
Still water where IDFG recommends yellow perch
- Lake Pend Oreille92,764 acres
- American Falls Reservoir55,291 acres
- Coeur d'Alene Lake27,911 acres
- Cascade Reservoir27,152 acres
- Priest Lake23,335 acres
- Brownlee Reservoir10,995 acres
- Lake Lowell8,826 acres
- Lake Walcott8,248 acres
- C. J. Strike Reservoir6,760 acres
- Anderson Ranch Reservoir4,608 acres
- Hayden Lake3,797 acres
- Magic Reservoir3,580 acres
- Mud Lake (Jefferson County)3,095 acres
- Arrowrock Reservoir3,015 acres
- Lucky Peak Reservoir2,766 acres
- Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir2,753 acres
- Chatcolet Lake1,643 acres
- Spirit Lake1,535 acres
- Ririe Reservoir1,414 acres
- Hells Canyon Reservoir1,254 acres
- Alexander Reservoir1,012 acres
- Lower Goose Creek Reservoir1,007 acres
- Black Canyon Reservoir892 acres
- Murtaugh Lake829 acres
Moving water IDFG suggests for yellow perch
- Pend Oreille RiverBonner County
- Saint Joe RiverBenewah County
IDFG Fishing Planner recommended game fish on each water page, read November 7, 2026; largest lakes and best-served rivers first.
Bag-group partners of yellow perch
- Black CrappiePomoxis nigromaculatus
- Bluegill and SunfishLepomis
- BullheadAmeiurus
- Channel Catfish
- White CrappiePomoxis annularis
What the water by Yellow Perch looks like in daylight
Photo: M. Beeton, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Murray Foubister, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: mypubliclands, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Jeramey Jannene, CC BY 2.0
Where Idaho yellow perch show up, briefly
How many yellow perch may I keep in Idaho?
No numeric bag ("No bag, length, or possession limit").
Did anyone set an Idaho yellow perch record in 2026?
This site found no 2026 record for it; IDFG holds the complete list.
What Idaho lakes hold yellow perch?
Begin with Lake Pend Oreille, American Falls Reservoir and Coeur d'Alene Lake (85 pages in all).
Where were yellow perch stocked lately?
Yes, with 6 rows; see Payette Greenway Pond (October 7, 2025).
Do special rules cover yellow perch anywhere?
No rule block on a built page mentions it; the region table applies.
Are yellow perch on a federal list?
Not listed under the Endangered Species Act.
Which Idaho license lets me chase yellow perch?
Fishing here takes an Idaho fishing license; Idaho Code 36-416 sets the annual statutory fee at $28.75 for residents and $106.25 for nonresidents, and steelhead or salmon fishing takes its own permit.
How do I claim an Idaho yellow perch record?
Either weigh it on a certified scale at an IDFG office or measure total length and release it for the catch-and-release list.