Yellow Perch in Ohio
ODNR limits, the Ohio record and waters for yellow perch.
- 30 a daylimit
- 2.86 lbrecord
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How yellow perch fit into Ohio fishing
In the current Ohio regulations, yellow perch turns up under 2 water classes. The statewide inland row says 30, open year-round.
Outdoor Writers of Ohio list David Berg first, with 2.86 lb from Lake Erie in 2016. It has ODNR hot spots on 6 of the lakes covered here. ODNR stocked 31,010,303 of them from 2018 to 2022, the last five years in its public records.
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| Water class | Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide inland waters | Statewide | 30 | Open year-round |
| Lake Erie Sport Fishing District | Lake Erie West Zone | West Zone: 30 | March 1 – April 30, 2026 |
| Lake Erie Sport Fishing District | Lake Erie Central Zone | Central Zone: 10 | March 1 – April 30, 2026 |
| Lake Erie Sport Fishing District | Lake Erie East Zone | East Zone: 20 | March 1 – April 30, 2026 |
| Lake Erie Sport Fishing District | Lake Erie West Zone | WEST ZONE DAILY BAG LIMIT: 30; minimum No minimum size for yellow perch. | May 1, 2026 – April 30, 2027 |
| Lake Erie Sport Fishing District | Lake Erie Central Zone | CENTRAL ZONE DAILY BAG LIMIT: 10; minimum No minimum size for yellow perch. | May 1, 2026 – April 30, 2027 |
| Lake Erie Sport Fishing District | Lake Erie East Zone | EAST ZONE DAILY BAG LIMIT: 20; minimum No minimum size for yellow perch. | May 1, 2026 – April 30, 2027 |
Limits as printed in the 2026-27 Ohio Fishing Regulations (ODNR Division of Wildlife Publication 5085, effective March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027) and the ODNR Lake Erie walleye and yellow perch daily limits sheet (May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027); retrieved October 26, 2026.
Outdoor Writers of Ohio records for yellow perch
| Division | Weight | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rod and reel | 2.86 lb | 15-3/4" | David Berg | Lake Erie | 2016 |
Outdoor Writers of Ohio record fish page, retrieved October 26, 2026; ODNR biologists confirm the species of a new record.
yellow perch on ODNR lake hot-spot maps
| Lake | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Findlay Reservoirs #2 | Hancock | 645 |
| Bresler Reservoir | Allen | 583 |
| Ferguson Reservoirs | Allen | 308 |
| Willard Reservoir | Huron | 199 |
| Metzger Reservoir | Allen | 157 |
| Beaver Creek Reservoir | Seneca | 110 |
ODNR Division of Wildlife lake fishing hot-spot layers (DOW_LakeFishing), retrieved October 26, 2026; largest lakes first.
ODNR yellow perch releases by water, 2018 to 2022
Decade by decade the counts run 1970s 1,133,982, 1980s 1,313,742, 1990s 1,948,303, 2000s 5,908,054, 2010s 73,412,218 and 2020s 17,198,520.
ODNR Division of Wildlife Ohio Fish Stocking Records (public copy of the DataOhio dataset, current as of May 31, 2022; numbers by water, year, species and life stage); the public file stops at May 2022, so later years are not shown.
Where yellow perch live in Ohio
Still water holding yellow perch
- Grand Lake St. Marys13,396 acres
- Buckeye Lake2,877 acres
- Burr Oak Lake668 acres
- Findlay Reservoirs #2645 acres
- Bresler Reservoir583 acres
- Knox Lake491 acres
- Williams Reservoir426 acres
- Kiser Lake394 acres
- Wills Creek375 acres
- Ferguson Reservoirs308 acres
- New London Reservoir212 acres
- Wolf Run Lake208 acres
- Willard Reservoir199 acres
- Eastwood Lake189 acres
- Findlay Reservoirs #1186 acres
- Tycoon Lake183 acres
- Dow Lake161 acres
- Wellington Upground Reservoir159 acres
- Metzger Reservoir157 acres
- Outhwaite Reservoir148 acres
- Lake Lecomte138 acres
- Upper Sandusky Reservoir #2132 acres
- Lost Creek Reservoir130 acres
- Lake Hope121 acres
Moving water holding yellow perch
- Wills CreekCoshocton County
ODNR hot-spot maps, ODNR stocking records, the 2026 trout releases, the steelhead and walleye-run programs and state records; largest waters first.
yellow perch on Lake Erie
Lake Erie and its harbors follow 6 rows for it.
- Lake Eriebasins, bays and launches
- Lake Erie rulesthe full district table
- P.C. Queen Perch HeadboatLake Erie charter
- A Absolute Fishing ChartersLake Erie charter
- A-Hoy Sara-J Fishing ChartersLake Erie charter
- Bass Fish AmericaLake Erie charter
Fish listed beside yellow perch
Buckeye water around Yellow Perch, in pictures
Photo: Sixflashphoto, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: AndyHemmerCincinnati, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Tim Kiser, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Michael A. Orlando, CC BY-SA 3.0
Catching yellow perch in Ohio, in a few answers
What is the Ohio daily limit for yellow perch?
30 on statewide inland waters, open year-round; other water classes have their own rows.
What does the Ohio yellow perch record weigh?
2.86 lb from Lake Erie, caught by David Berg in 2016.
Which Ohio waters list yellow perch?
42 water pages here list it, led by Grand Lake St. Marys, Buckeye Lake and Burr Oak Lake.
Do Ohio hatcheries raise yellow perch?
Yes; the public ODNR records show 31,010,303 stocked from 2018 to 2022, most in Buckeye Lake. The file ends in May 2022.
Is there a Lake Erie row for yellow perch?
Yes: West Zone: 30, march 1 – april 30, 2026.
Which calendar dates apply to Ohio yellow perch?
Open year-round on statewide inland waters.
Which Ohio license covers yellow perch?
Anglers 16 and older need an Ohio fishing license: $25.00 a year for residents, $76.96 for nonresidents and $10.00 for residents 65 and older.
What Ohio River rule covers yellow perch?
There is no Ohio River row for it.
Plan a Buckeye yellow perch trip
Open any water above for its launches and Ohio limits.