Where do yellow perch live?
Yellow perch are freshwater fish, but they have adapted to the brackish waters found in the mouths of Chesapeake Bay rivers. This is where they live most of the year. Yellow perch are usually found near the shoreline, where bay grasses provide the fish with food and shelter. In early spring, yellow perch migrate upriver to freshwater streams to spawn. What do yellow perch eat? Yellow perch feed on insect larvae, crustaceans and small fish. How do yellow perch reproduce? In late February and March, yellow perch move to small, shallow freshwater streams to spawn. Females lay long, gelatinous egg strands that stick to underwater vegetation, tree branches and other debris. After spawning, adults migrate back downstream. Other facts about the yellow perch: • Yellow perch were once abundant in the Chesapeake Bay’s rivers; but populations have declined due to pollution in the freshwater streams where the fish spawn. • Yellow perch can live as long as 13 years.
