I have noticed recently on really dark nights that the perch will find a clump of weeds or some rocks in only a foot or so of water and sleep there. Seems they vacate the deep parts of the pond and go shallow for the night. I can see this when walking the dog with the flashlight.

I wonder if that has to do with the presence of Walleye even though they are about the same size class?

I've heard of YP sleeping at night.

Not close to shore tho, but ya need to get wet so ya can poke em and they'll tip over like a cow.

YP are definitely not active at night, funny since they are so closely related to WE which are very active at night. As far as going shallow, it may very well be to avoid predation.

Or since they are on the bottom, not moving, to be higher up in the water column where there might be more O2.

And no tapetum lucidum in the yellow perch which makes them ideal forage for walleye at night!

Did you know the genus species name has been changed from Stizostedion vitreum to Sander vitreus? Just noticed that!

I have caught yellow perch at night in my big pond by setting a lantern on the pier and fishing next to it.

YP have minimal oxygen needs which helps with snuggling to the bottom at night. I've seen the same thing.

Yep the are a very hardy species when it comes to D.O. or lack there of. I've actually thrown them up on the bank for a while and when they were put back in water they were fine!

I prefer yellow perch over tilapia as an aquaculture species, and to a lesser extent bluegills as they are hardy species, and also the perch and all the centrarchids are resistant to nitrite poisoning in recirculating systems. I find it silly people are spending a considerable amount of money heating water to grow tilapia inside when you wouldn't have to with yellow perch and bluegills.

Cecil, I think Tilapia are dirtier than YP in a RAS system too.

Did you know the genus species name has been changed from Stizostedion vitreum to Sander vitreus? Just noticed that!

That was changed a number of years ago to make some folks happy.

Ya mean the swimming toilets!

You could generate electricity with all that poo

I know that for a fact! First time I saw their fecal casts I thought I was looking at worms! But they also generate a lot of nitrates for the growth of tomato plants! These plants were started only a few weeks ago.

They're also pretty much idiot proof compared to my bluegills and yellow perch. My VP of the aquaculture association says you can almost raise them in gasoline! LOL



Check out these roots!

Didn't now that it was that long ago. Guess I don't keep up with that kind of stuff anymore.