Yellow perch across Minnesota
Limits, records and lakes for yellow perch.
- 20 daily, 40 in posslimit
- 3 lb 4 ozrecord
Pick for yellow perchPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of the species, not of a Minnesota water: Fizzishin, CC BY 4.0
About Minnesota yellow perch
Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) counts among the perch family in Minnesota. Anglers may keep 20 daily, 40 in possession in inland waters (statewide), Continuous.
In an unlisted year, Lake Plantagenet produced the record of 3 lb 4 oz. It shows up in DNR surveys of 2,261 lakes (2,841 with pages here). Kinney Mine Pit posted the top gill net rate, 557 per net.
For the yellow perch herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 How the DNR describes yellow perch
“The yellow perch is one of the most commonly caught fish in Minnesota. This smaller cousin of the walleye is good to eat and eagerly bites worms, but it often is so small that anglers throw them back into the water. Like sunfish and bluegills, perch are considered "panfish," or fish commonly caught to be cooked in a frying pan and eaten.”
“Basically a miniature walleye, the perch is a great food fish. The fish is especially popular with out-of-state anglers such as those from North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Illinois, where perch are a highly desirable fish.”
“Yellow perch are good to eat and – unlike its larger cousin, the walleye – they eagerly bite. One of the most commonly caught fish in Minnesota, the trick is finding perch large enough to fillet.”
- Yellow perch have a stocky torpedo shaped body.identification
- They are pale yellow to bright orange with 6-7 dark, vertical bars on their side.identification
- Yellow perch occur in lakes, rivers and streams throughout Minnesota.habitat
- Yellow perch are more abundant in lakes and backwaters of large rivers, but also occur in the pools and runs of many of our small streams.habitat
- perchalso called
Quoted from the DNR fish page and the 2026 regulations identification guide, checked October 2026.
yellow perch limits and seasons
| Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Inland waters (statewide) | 20 daily, 40 in possession | Continuous |
2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations. All Minnesota limits.
The yellow perch record
| Category | Weight | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| non certified weight | 3 lb 4 oz | Lake Plantagenet | Hubbard |
Minnesota DNR state records; angler names left out.
Top yellow perch catch rates in DNR surveys
| Lake | Per gill net | Normal range | Avg lb | Survey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kinney Mine Pit | 557 | 2010 | ||
| Kabekona Lake | 358.67 | 0.02 | 2023 | |
| Temperance Lake | 348 | 2.7-25.0 | 0.08 | 2019 |
| Iron Lake, Murray County | 317 | 0.19 | 2025 | |
| Pepin Lake, Le Sueur County | 312 | 2.7-25.0 | 0.03 | 1996 |
| Upper Lindgren Lake | 249.5 | 1.9-19.1 | 0.12 | 1979 |
| Corabelle Lake | 247 | 2.7-25.0 | 0.13 | 2021 |
| Stocking Lake, Beltrami County | 227.5 | 2.5-23.3 | 0.27 | 1984 |
| Bear Lake near Carlton, Carlton County | 193 | 0.03 | 1993 | |
| Long Lake, Stevens County | 182.5 | 3.0-22.5 | 0.11 | 2019 |
| Benson Lake, Cook County | 176 | 2.0-15.0 | 0.13 | 1999 |
| Moccasin Lake, Lake County | 167 | 2.0-15.0 | 0.04 | 1999 |
DNR LakeFinder latest survey per lake; standard and special gill nets.
yellow perch across the state
Where to fish lakes for yellow perch
- Lake of the Woods725,583 acres
- Rainy Lake, St. Louis County210,200 acres
- Mille Lacs Lake128,250 acres
- Red Lake (Upper Red)119,294 acres
- Leech Lake103,444 acres
- Lake Winnibigoshish56,471 acres
- Vermilion Lake39,272 acres
- Lac la Croix29,597 acres
- Basswood Lake25,953 acres
- Namakan Lake24,066 acres
- Kabetogama Lake24,034 acres
- Saganaga Lake18,767 acres
- Cass Lake15,958 acres
- Lake Minnetonka14,206 acres
- Otter Tail Lake14,079 acres
- Lake Pepin12,299 acres
- Big Stone Lake11,984 acres
- Pelican Lake, St. Louis County11,546 acres
- Traverse Lake10,849 acres
- Crooked Lake near Winton, St. Louis County10,360 acres
- St. Louis River Estuary10,255 acres
- Gull Lake, Cass County10,010 acres
- Bowstring Lake9,528 acres
- Sand Point Lake8,527 acres
Rivers and creeks for yellow perch
- Mississippi RiverAitkin
- St. Louis RiverSt. Louis
- Red Lake RiverPolk
- Vermilion RiverSt. Louis
- Turtle RiverBeltrami
- Island RiverLake
- Cross RiverCook
- Hay Creek, Goodhue CountyGoodhue
- Hay Creek, Pine CountyPine
- Hay Creek, Carlton CountyCarlton
DNR LakeFinder survey lists; largest lakes first.
Pictures of water close to Yellow perch
Photo: Jon Platek, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: chief_huddleston, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jimmy Dreger, CC BY-SA 3.0
Handy answers on yellow perch
May Minnesota anglers keep yellow perch?
20 daily, 40 in possession (Inland waters (statewide)), season Continuous.
Which Minnesota water gave up the record yellow perch?
3 lb 4 oz from Lake Plantagenet (year unlisted).
Which lakes hold yellow perch?
Kinney Mine Pit leads the DNR gill net catch at 557 per net; 2,851 waters on this site list it.
Where does the DNR stock yellow perch?
3 rows on the DNR area stocking pages, such as Powderhorn.
How do I tell yellow perch from similar fish?
Yellow perch have a stocky torpedo shaped body.
When does Minnesota yellow perch season open and close?
Continuous
Do kids need a license for yellow perch?
Minnesota residents 16 to 89 need an angling license ($25 for the year); nonresidents 16 and older pay $51.
Which guides list yellow perch?
No Minnesota guide names it; see the guides page.
Plan a Minnesota yellow perch trip
Pick a lake from the lists on this page.