Yellow Perch

(Perca flavescens)

The Yellow Perch is the most sought after species in the Patuxent River during the month of March.  Fishermen from across Southern Maryland will gather at the Patuxent or one of its tributaries to try their luck at catching this species as the fish travel up these waterways to spawn.  Yellow Perch are excllent to eat and are fun to catch!  Typically the Yellow Perch caught at King’s Landing are the smaller ones that have traveled down river from their hatching area from the previous year.  Yellow Perch are quite aggresive predators and will feed upon any smaller fish that they can catch.  Yellow Perch are also one of the more beautiful fish to observe.  The overall yellow coloration is offset by bold vertical barring.  The fins of this fish are often colored red or yellow.  This species is found throughout Maryland except for a small portion of the mountainous areas in the extreme western part of the state.