Yellow Perch in New York
yellow perch under the 2026 DEC rules.
- 50limit
- 3 lb 8 ozrecord
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The New York outline for yellow perch
The Empire State treats yellow perch as a freshwater species, regulated in 3 rule tables. For statewide, DEC lists 50 and a season of all year.
The heaviest one on the DEC record list weighed 3 lb 8 oz and came from Lake Erie in 1982. It appears on 174 New York water pages on this site.
DEC’s beginner guide gives the usual size as 6-12 in./ grow to 16 in. Female yellow perch lay their eggs in a jelly-like tube that can measure up to seven feet long!
Size note and fact from the DEC I FISH NY beginner guide (I FISH NY Beginners' Guide to Freshwater Fishing, Chapter 1 Fishes of New York (DEC, 2016)).
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| Rule table | Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide inland waters | Statewide | 50 | All year |
| Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River | Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River | 50 | All year |
| Lake Champlain | Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first impassable barrier | No daily limit | open all year |
2026 DEC freshwater fishing regulations web pages (NYS Department of Environmental Conservation), read October 24, 2026; figures checked twice on October 25, 2026.
The New York record yellow perch
| Entry | Weight | Angler | Water | County | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perch, Yellow | 3 lb 8 oz | George Boice | Lake Erie | Erie | April 28, 1982 |
DEC state record fish table, DEC Current NY State Record Fish table, as of December 10, 2025; retrieved October 24, 2026.
Upstate and downstate water for yellow perch
Ponds and lakes holding yellow perch
- Lake Champlain277,117 acres
- Oneida Lake51,324 acres
- Seneca Lake43,394 acres
- Cayuga Lake42,910 acres
- Lake George28,562 acres
- Great Sacandaga Lake24,910 acres
- Chautauqua Lake13,304 acres
- Allegheny Reservoir12,222 acres
- Keuka Lake11,667 acres
- Canandaigua Lake10,528 acres
- Skaneateles Lake8,777 acres
- Black Lake7,856 acres
- Cranberry Lake6,909 acres
- Owasco Lake6,752 acres
- Stillwater Reservoir6,233 acres
- Pepacton Reservoir5,727 acres
- Upper Saranac Lake4,870 acres
- Cannonsville Reservoir4,718 acres
- Indian Lake4,304 acres
- Schroon Lake4,257 acres
- Otsego Lake4,171 acres
- Long Lake4,168 acres
- Saratoga Lake3,772 acres
- Carry Falls Reservoir3,074 acres
Creeks and rivers holding yellow perch
- Mohawk RiverOneida County
- Hudson RiverSaratoga County
- Black RiverHerkimer County
- Oswegatchie RiverHerkimer County
- Seneca RiverCayuga County
- Oswego RiverOswego County
- Grass RiverSt. Lawrence County
- Unadilla RiverHerkimer County
- Indian River, Lewis CountyLewis County
- Saint Regis RiverFranklin County
- Perch RiverJefferson County
- Eighteen Mile Creek, Niagara CountyNiagara County
- Great Chazy RiverClinton County
- Saranac RiverClinton County
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Rivers lists, DEC trout reaches, stocking lists and state records; largest waters first.
More New York fish filed beside yellow perch
- Largemouth Bassfreshwater
- Smallmouth Bassfreshwater
- Rock Bassfreshwater
- White Bassfreshwater
- Walleyefreshwater
- Saugerfreshwater
- Northern Pikefreshwater
- Chain Pickerelfreshwater
- Muskellungefreshwater
- Tiger Muskellungefreshwater
- Black Crappiefreshwater
- White Crappiefreshwater
The water near Yellow Perch through a lens
Photo: Mike Peel ( www.mikepeel.net ), CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Northeast Region, CC BY 2.0
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Quick replies on New York Yellow perch
What size must a New York yellow perch be to keep?
50 under statewide, season all year; other tables set their own figures.
Who holds the New York yellow perch record?
3 lb 8 oz from Lake Erie, caught by George Boice (April 28, 1982).
Which pages here mention yellow perch?
174 water pages here list it, starting with Lake Champlain, Oneida Lake and Seneca Lake.
Is yellow perch on the DEC stocking lists?
DEC lists no stocking of it.
How does DEC classify yellow perch?
Freshwater on the DEC list.
Can I fish for yellow perch all year in New York?
All year under statewide.
What will a license to chase yellow perch set me back?
Anglers 16 and older need a DEC freshwater fishing license: $25.00 a year for residents, $50.00 for nonresidents, $5.00 for residents 70 and older, with 1-day and 7-day options.
When were the yellow perch rules checked?
From the 2026 DEC regulation pages and the state record table, read October 24, 2026 and checked again October 25, 2026.