Illinois State Record Yellow Perch: 2 lb 8 oz
The Illinois state record yellow perch weighed 2 lb 8 oz. It was caught in 1974 from Arrowhead Club Lake in Will County, and the Illinois DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 52 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Arrowhead Club Lake in Will County. We don't carry a water-quality grade for it: our index covers standing lakes with enough EPA Water Quality Portal samples to score, which leaves out rivers and tributaries, Great Lakes water, and smaller ponds that are rarely sampled. Browse the Illinois lakes we do grade instead.
Yellow Perch records by state
Illinois ranks 11 of 11 among the states in our index for record yellow perch. Michigan holds the heaviest at 3 lb 12 oz, set in 1947.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | 3 lb 12 oz | 1947 | Lake Independence |
| 2 | New York | 3 lb 8 oz | 1982 | Lake Erie |
| 3 | Minnesota | 3 lb 4 oz | 1945 | Lake Plantaganette |
| 4 | Wisconsin | 3 lb 4 oz | 1954 | Lake Winnebago |
| 5 | Indiana | 3 lb 2 oz | 2024 | Lake Michigan |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 3 lb | 2021 | Lake Erie |
| 7 | North Dakota | 3 lb | 2026 | Devils Lake |
| 8 | Ohio | 2 lb 14 oz | 2016 | Lake Erie |
| 9 | Iowa | 2 lb 13 oz | 2019 | Private pond |
| 10 | South Dakota | 2 lb 13 oz | 2015 | Bitter Lake |
| 11 | Illinois (this page) | 2 lb 8 oz | 1974 | Arrowhead Club Lake |
Each figure comes from that state's own fisheries agency. Agencies differ on what they certify — some recognize catch-and-release length records alongside weight — so treat this as a comparison of standing certified weights, not a single national list.
How it ranks inside Illinois
18 of Illinois's 19 standing records are heavier than the 2 lb 8 oz yellow perch — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 4 Illinois records have stood longer, the yellow perch mark dating to 1974.