Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations planning a PB member Yellow Perch experiment

A few comments about your yellow perch spawning project.
We should learn some beneficial information from your experiment.

My experience & observations are the eggs on the bottom regardless of location are from females that were not able to affix the ribbon onto a structure. The eggs will drop randomly when ever fully extruded and when the female has been unsuccessful at affixing or 'hooking' the ribbon to a piece of some structure underwater.

Leaves on the bottom will during sunshine absorb radiant energy and make that area slightly warmer water next to the bottom. Darker bottom areas do this. YP being bottom oriented can easily sense slightly warmer water. Warmer water to the instinct of YP indicates a better place and quicker hatch for those eggs.

Many perch in the lakes find old shoreline vegetation structure to drop or drape their eggs. Remember eggs can be just randomly dropped when the female is not able to drape or snag the egg on structure. YP esp in lakes generally consist of large schools. I think these pods of young and older fish instinctively know 'better' areas to frequent during spawn season. YP in lakes will use reefs and weedy humps to place eggs. YP eggs have been found on fish nets that were anchored or fished in deep water 15-20ft.


With your current goals for YP and your fishery, I would remove every egg ribbon that you can find. There will always be a few laid deeper that you do not see. These few ribbons will provide more YP than you need since you have no predators.