Yellow Perch Lakes in Minnesota

Panfish like Yellow Perch are the workhorses of Minnesota recreational fishing — abundant, accessible, present in 1,577 surveyed lakes. Yellow Perch is widely distributed: 1,396 lakes in Minnesota and 181 in Michigan. That breadth means anglers across most of the coverage area can find a documented Yellow Perch lake within a reasonable drive.

Panfish species like Yellow Perch tolerate a wide range of water quality, so their presence in a lake says less about the lake than the absence of a game-fish would. Cross-reference the Yellow Perch lake list below against each lake's clarity, phosphorus and algae readings: lakes with low nutrient readings and Yellow Perch documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.