Yellow perch limits by state
Check before you keep a fish. These are statewide rules. Lakes, rivers and coastal zones often have their own limits, and rules can change during the year. Each state below has a link to its official rules.
- Free
- Official sources first
- Checked monthly
- Independent, not a state website
| State | Where | Size | Daily bag | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Yellow perch |
Statewide | – | Unlimited | – |
| Secondary source: Arizona Fishing Regulations (eRegulations) AZGFD official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Colorado older data Yellow perch |
East of the Continental Divide | – | 20 | – |
| Colorado | West of the Continental Divide | – | No limit | – |
| Note on this data: These limits come from a 2023 copy of Colorado's regulations, the newest we could check. Some may have changed since. Secondary source: Colorado fishing regulations (eRegulations) CPW official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Connecticut Panfish |
Statewide | No minimum | No limit | – |
| Official source CT DEEP official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||
| Delaware Panfish (crappie, sunfish, yellow perch) |
Statewide | No size limit | 50 in total, no more than 25 of one species | All year |
| Secondary source: Delaware Fishing Guide (eRegulations edition) DNREC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Idaho Other fish (crappie, yellow perch, sunfish, catfish) |
All regions (general rules) | – | No bag, length or possession limit | All year |
| Some waters have special limits on these species. Official source234567 IDFG official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Indiana Yellow perch |
Statewide | No size limit | No limit | All year |
| Indiana | Lake Michigan | No size limit | 15 | All year |
| Secondary source: Indiana Fishing Guide (eRegulations edition) Indiana DNR official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||
| Iowa older data Yellow perch |
Statewide | – | 25 (possession 50) | All year |
| Iowa | Missouri River | – | No limit | All year |
| Note on this data: Size limits aren't shown: we couldn't confirm them from an official source. Bag limits and seasons are shown where we could. Secondary source: Iowa Administrative Code 571-81.1 (Cornell Legal Information Institute) Iowa DNR official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||
| Maryland Yellow perch |
Non-tidal rivers and streams | 9" minimum | 5 | – |
| Maryland | Non-tidal lakes and ponds | No minimum | 10 | – |
| Maryland | Chesapeake Bay and tidal tributaries | 9" minimum | 5 | – |
| Limits cut in 2026. Secondary source: Maryland fishing guide 2026 (eRegulations) Maryland DNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Massachusetts Sunfish, crappie, yellow perch and catfish |
Statewide | No minimum | No limit | Year-round |
| Covered by 'all other freshwater species', which has no limit. Official source MassWildlife official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Michigan Yellow perch |
Statewide | No minimum | 25 | Open all year |
| Michigan | Lake Erie | No minimum | 50 | – |
| Secondary source: Michigan fishing regulations (eRegulations) Michigan DNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Minnesota Yellow perch |
Statewide | – | 20 a day; 40 in possession | – |
| Official source MN DNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Nebraska Crappie, bluegill and other panfish (including yellow perch) |
Statewide | No minimum | 15 in total (30 in possession) | – |
| Official source Game and Parks official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Nevada Yellow perch |
Eastern Region (Elko, Eureka, Lander, White Pine) | – | No limit | – |
| Secondary source: Nevada Fishing Regulations 2026 (NDOW guide on eRegulations) NDOW official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||
| New Hampshire Yellow perch, white perch, black crappie, sunfish and horned pout |
Statewide | – | 25 of each species, 50 in total | – |
| Secondary source: New Hampshire Fishing Digest 2026 (eRegulations) NH Fish and Game official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||
| New Jersey Yellow perch |
Statewide | No minimum | 25 | All year |
| Secondary source: NJ Fish & Wildlife freshwater fishing digest 2026 (eRegulations) NJ Fish & Wildlife official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| New Mexico Yellow perch |
Statewide | No minimum | 30 | – |
| Official source NMDOW official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| New York Yellow perch |
Statewide | No minimum | 50 | All year |
| Official source NYSDEC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| North Dakota Yellow perch |
Statewide | No minimum | 20 (40 in possession) | – |
| Official source NDGF official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Ohio Yellow perch (inland) |
Inland waters | No minimum | 30 | – |
| Official source ODNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Ohio Yellow perch (Lake Erie) |
Set each year: check here. Limits differ by zone (West, Central, East) and are reset each May. Check ODNR before fishing. | |||
| Pennsylvania older data Sunfish, yellow perch, crappie, catfish and other panfish |
Statewide | No minimum | 50 combined | All year |
| Note on this data: Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and their tributaries aren't covered here: their limits differ from the inland rules shown. Panfish Enhancement waters have size limits. Figures from the 2025 summary; the Commission's 2026 book confirms the dates noted. Check the current summary book before fishing. Secondary source: Pennsylvania Fishing Summary (eRegulations, 2025 edition) PFBC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Rhode Island Crappie, perch, sunfish, catfish and other freshwater fish |
Statewide | No minimum | No limit | No closed season |
| Listed by DEM as 'all other freshwater fish'. Local exceptions may apply. Official source2 RIDEM official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| South Carolina Yellow perch |
Statewide | No minimum | 30 | – |
| Secondary source: South Carolina hunting and fishing regulations 2026-27 (eRegulations) SCDNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| South Dakota Yellow perch |
Statewide | No minimum | 15 (possession 30) | – |
| Official source2 SD GFP official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Utah Yellow perch |
Statewide | No statewide minimum | 50 | – |
| Secondary source: Utah Fishing Guidebook (eRegulations) Utah DWR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Vermont Panfish (yellow perch, crappie, sunfish, bullhead) |
Statewide | Crappie 8"; others no minimum | 50 panfish in total, no more than 25 crappie | All year |
| Secondary source: Vermont Fishing Regulations 2026-27 (eRegulations) Vermont Fish & Wildlife official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Vermont Lake Champlain (Vermont waters) |
Walleye | 18" minimum | 3 | First Saturday in May to March 15 |
| Vermont | Black bass | 12" minimum | 5 combined | Second Saturday in June to November 30 |
| Vermont | Lake trout | 15" minimum | 3 | All year |
| Vermont | Landlocked salmon | 15" minimum | 2 | All year |
| Vermont | Northern pike | 20" minimum | 5 | All year |
| Vermont | Yellow perch | No minimum | No limit | All year |
| Secondary source: Vermont Fishing Regulations 2026-27 (eRegulations) Vermont Fish & Wildlife official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Virginia Yellow perch |
Statewide | No minimum | No daily limit | – |
| Virginia | Tidal Chesapeake Bay rivers below the fall line | 9" minimum | No daily limit | – |
| Lake Moomaw: 10 a day. Official source DWR / VMRC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Washington Crappie, yellow perch and sunfish |
Statewide | No minimum | No limit | – |
| Some lakes have their own limits. Secondary source: Washington Sport Fishing Rules 2026 (eRegulations edition) WDFW official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| West Virginia Yellow perch |
Statewide | No minimum | 30 (possession 60) | – |
| West Virginia | Cheat Lake | No minimum | 15 | – |
| Official source WVDNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Wisconsin older data Panfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, crappie) |
Statewide | No minimum on most waters | 25 total | – |
| Note on this data: Only statewide daily bag limits are shown. Size limits, and many bag limits, are set lake by lake, so they aren't listed here. Some lakes have lower panfish limits. Official source WDNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Wyoming Crappie, yellow perch and sunfish (including rock bass) |
Statewide | No statewide size limit | 50 combined (with black bullhead, stonecat and freshwater drum) | – |
| Secondary source: 2026 Wyoming Fishing Regulations (eRegulations edition) WGFD official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||