Indiana State Record Yellow Perch: 3 lb 2 oz
The Indiana state record yellow perch weighed 3 lb 2 oz. It was caught in 2024 from Lake Michigan in Lake County by Blas Lara, and the Indiana DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 2 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Lake Michigan in Lake 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 Indiana lakes we do grade instead.
Yellow Perch records by state
Indiana ranks 5 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 (this page) | 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 | 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 Indiana
20 of Indiana's 21 standing records are heavier than the 3 lb 2 oz yellow perch — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 19 Indiana records have stood longer, the yellow perch mark dating to 2024.
Indiana lakes that hold yellow perch
1 Indiana lakes in our index are documented to hold yellow perch, ranked here by water-quality grade.