Minnesota State Record Yellow Perch: 3 lb 4 oz
The Minnesota state record yellow perch weighed 3 lb 4 oz. It was caught in 1945 from Lake Plantaganette in Hubbard County by Carl Melin, and the Minnesota DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 81 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Lake Plantaganette in Hubbard 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 Minnesota lakes we do grade instead.
Yellow Perch records by state
Minnesota ranks 3 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 (this page) | 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 | 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 Minnesota
14 of Minnesota's 16 standing records are heavier than the 3 lb 4 oz yellow perch — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 2 Minnesota records have stood longer, the yellow perch mark dating to 1945.
Minnesota lakes that hold yellow perch
1452 Minnesota lakes in our index are documented to hold yellow perch, ranked here by water-quality grade.