I am not familiar with the strain of yellow perch that are in the southeast US. If you decide to try the yellow perch (YP) - smallmouth combination be sure to get YP from your vacinity even if you have to collect or catch your broodstock yourself. IMO and experience the smallmouth as a group can tolerate warmer water compared to YP. The older and larger the perch get the less they seem to be able to tolerate water temperatures in the 90's. For the Great Lakes strain of perch that upper size where they become less tolerant to higher temperatures is 12.5"-13". Young YP, similar to what Bullhead mentioned above, are quite tolerant to 90-93F temps and continue to feed well in the warm water; not so true for the northern strain of perch larger than 12". Large perch seem to 'go off feed' in water above 85F. Others have also noted the traditional cool water fish feed less in water where the temperature is near their leathal maximum.
One good thing to trying YP-smallmouth combination in a more southern area is if the fishery does not do very well it can easily be converted to a warmer water fishery just by adding the bluegill LM bass combination. The opposite is not true. It is very difficult to have a truly quality yellow perch fishery with all sizes and good numbers of perch in a strong bluegill bass community. Smallmouth also do not thrive with largemouth bass as the dominant fish. Smallies can survive with largemouths but not thrive. For more good information about smallmouth bass in ponds see the article "Talking Points: Smallmouth Bass " by Dr. Dave Willis & Bill Cody in Jan-Feb 2013 Pond Boss magazine.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 02/01/13 10:35 AM.
