Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Fly Fishing & Other Fish Species Intersting Florida Yellow Perch

Thanks for the link RER, I'm really jonesing for YP here at some point.

How can YP thrive with FL water temps being what they are?

I found it interesting that they didn't find many "minnows" in stomachs. Lots of crayfish and freshwater shrimp.

There was a discussion about this on the forum a good while back. If my memory serves, and it often doesn't!......There is a southern (warm water) strain of YP. IIRC they grow faster than the northern YP but the northern strain gets larger and lives longer.

Hello.

Thank you RER.

Cool refuge.

http://myfwc.com/research/freshwater/sport-fishes/yellow-perch/temploggerstudy/

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Thanks Bill. If there's such a thing as a CNYP (coppernose yellow perch), I'll take a thousand sight unseen. YP may be the prettiest pond fish I've ever seen, but 90+ degree summer water temp was the biggest issue I had with actively pursuing them. I've been trying to keep up with you guys YP posts, and I "think" other than tolerable water temps, my pond has most everything here they require.

TPWD tried stocking YP in several different lakes from 1980-1997. I'm guessing they didn't populate as well as was hoped.

how deep is your pond, Have you tested bottom water temps during the summer? If you have depth and can keep water at near 77-80 degrees most the time you could probably manage to keep them through the summer.

I do wonder if the strain in this water system are a bit more tolerant of higher water temps then the northern relatives?

Hello.

I ask the Florida fish and wildlife if the Yellow-perch were native in Florida.
Their answers. While some consider the yellow perch to be a nonnative to Florida, there is evidence that suggests they may have been present in our state for some time.

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RER, the majority of the pond is probably around 5-6' deep, clear, and weedy. Deepest part is 15'. I haven't checked the lower temps, but historically we have a summer thermocline around 8'. It's extremely rare to see any fish below that thermocline.

I wonder how much water flow the Dead Lakes get? Could a steady river flow keep the water cooler than the average FL lake? I'm just throwing darts here. I'm just starting a 2 year hatchery pond project , but SMB or YP interest me when that's complete.

Thinking about it, I might actually go to the dark side and add aeration to make it work.

Florida does have lots of cool water springs, I think the dead lakes has some in one arm that helps. they indicated fish are concentrated in that area. I have been reading more. YP are observed all over the lakes with the warmer water.

If you have a little depth and run aeration at night during the hot summer you could have some luck.

I say go for it.. you can always add LMB later.

Hello.

To follow RER, I did not think that Yellow perch was so to the south.

New Mexico
http://www.wideopenspaces.com/new-mexico-game-and-fish-relocate-thousands-of-perch/

Mississipi

http://www.wideopenspaces.com/mississippi-record-yellow-perch-caught/

Alabama
http://www.outdooralabama.com/yellow-perch

Georgia

http://georgiawildlife.com/fishing/recordprogram

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Thatsa lotta yellow perch in that first link.

I have heard of a "southern strain" YP, though I've never found anyplace that has any. I have also stocked many ponds with SMB and YP in warm climates that have done well over the last 7 years. Growth may be a bit slower, i.e.inverse to CNBG or FLMB in cooler waters, but no one has kept records that would really conclude less or slower growth and or reproduction. As long as the waters cool enough to trigger a YP spawn, the YP have gotten recruitment in more southern, warm ponds.