Gold has a rich history in South Dakota, and while many may think of the prospectors in the Black Hills, a different kind of gold continues to attract individuals to the state year after year. The gold we’re referencing, of course, is yellow perch. When it comes to targeting jumbo perch, true jumbos that are 12-15 inches plus, the Glacial Lakes region of South Dakota is one of the top destinations for prospectors.
Yellow perch are a common species, particularly across the Midwest, and in many fisheries serve as an important prey source for walleyes, and other predators, across the region. To some anglers, these may be a species just for new anglers to enjoy or a prey base for walleyes, but anglers who have experienced the true jumbos of the Dakotas know these fish are a trophy themselves.
Fisheries across the Dakotas such as Devils Lake, Bitter Lake, Waubay Lake, and Dry Lake #2 have become famous for their abundant populations of trophy caliber perch. While the walleye fishing is also very good, it is the perch that has put these fisheries on the map. Dedicated perch anglers also know there are numerous smaller fisheries that fly under the radar and offer even more spectacular fishing opportunities too. Whether it is the expansive Devils or Bitter Lake, or a small slough near an even smaller town, these fisheries all feature similar aspects and history.
Gold Mines on the Prairie
To find these hidden gold mines, one first needs to look at the waters in which these fish swim. The Glacial Lakes region, which generally references eastern North and South Dakota, is an area that features prairie attributes with an abundance of small waterbodies. In the 1990s and into early 2000s, these areas received abundant snow and rainfall, which caused many of these small fisheries and sloughs to expand, connect, and ultimately create sprawling fisheries that are home to booming walleye, perch, and northern pike populations.
These areas that flooded included croplands, working farms, and other highly fertile soils. This ultimately resulted in highly fertile fisheries, which creates a high operating food web. Roads, stock dams, and even elements such as rock piles, foundations, and fence lines were also flooded and created a highly diverse, and unique, structural element of these fisheries. What grows these fish so big, particularly the perch, is the dynamics of spawning, survival, and ultimately growth.
Life as a Recruit
All abundant fish populations start with successful recruitment. This is an individual adult fish ultimately being available for anglers to catch. Several factors go into recruitment including spawning, egg survival, and juvenile survival. Fish that are caught by anglers are the ultimate survivors, as generally speaking only 10% of eggs survive, 10% of fry survive, and 10% of juvenile survive. The odds are against them, but the fisheries within the Glacial Lakes region give some of these species the best chances to survive….here’s why!
When yellow perch spawn, females lay their eggs on submerged vegetation. This submerged vegetation then serves as critical nursery habitat for fry and juvenile fish, allowing them somewhere to hide when predators come in search of an easy meal. A lack of submerged vegetation means a lack of survival, and these fish failing to be present in the system whatsoever.
As we discussed above, when these fisheries expanded they flooded this vegetation. Some of these fisheries may have had existing populations, while others may not have even had fish, but the plethora of spawning vegetation, new areas for these fish populations to move to, and increasing surface area of livable water set up the perfect combination for a literal boom in population.
Ultimately, the perfect spawning and nursery habitat existed, there were few predators chasing these fish, more areas for these fish to go, and the fertile water grew fish quickly. The ingredients for a truly spectacular population of yellow perch were set.
This situation led to booming populations of perch, which continues to set the stage for the fishing we enjoy today. The variance of dry and wet years allows these waterbodies to shrink and expand, resulting in a continuing cycle of ample submerged vegetation for spawning and survival. A dry year allows vegetation to grow along the shorelines, which is then flooded during a wet year. A constant cycle that keeps these fisheries operating at peak perch production.
Grazing Protein Packed Meals
The second factor of these trophy caliber fish is their growth. As we discussed above, the areas that flooded were extremely fertile and thus presented the perfect environment for organisms to grow. In this case, these organisms are yellow perch. An abundance of freshwater shrimp, and other protein-packed invertebrates, create the perfect food source to grow fish large.
When factoring these meals, one has to consider the calories expended compared to the calories obtained with each meal. Fish that spend time chasing their meals, thus exerting calories, ultimately spend energy to obtain energy and reduce the return for calories for growth. However, these yellow perch have to expend no energy to enjoy these meals. Similar to cattle or bison on the prairie, these fish can literally graze through the water column and grow to tremendous sizes.
This foraging dynamic makes the fish themselves look unique. These invertebrate eating fish are known for their small heads, and large bodies, because they truly are able to suck these invertebrates out of the water without a chase.
By contrast, fish that feed on other fish species need a larger mouth, and anglers who learn to look for these physical attributes within populations can learn a great deal about what these fish are foraging on.
Live Fast Die Young Populations
The third factor of these perch populations is they live fast and die young. Yellow perch, similar to bluegill, are a species that is subject to stunting. This is when populations of fish outnumber the available forage, and results in a population that lives for longer periods of times without reaching large sizes. When the entire population is the same size, they can focus on reproducing as opposed to competing for reproductive rights (by growing larger), and this further exacerbates the issue.
The nature of these populations within the Glacial Lakes region is not subject to these issues, as we discussed above, the shrink and expansion results in a changing dynamic year after year. The abundance of forage is also able to grow these large populations, and grow them quickly, meaning these fish quickly reach trophy caliber sizes and avoid the downfalls that can hit other populations.
In Dynamics of South Dakota Yellow Perch we take an in-depth look at all aspects of yellow perch management in South Dakota. This article discusses the two distinct populations of perch within the state. The first, and what we have discussed here, is the “High Quality” populations. Perch within this population generally only survive 3-5 years, which further demonstrates how quickly these fish reach trophy caliber sizes and how high-paced these fisheries operate.
This also means that angler harvest plays a minimal role in the nature of these populations, allowing anglers to take advantage of when the bite is hot. These perch populations are naturally going to cycle, and this is also what attributes to individual fisheries becoming “hot” at different periods. The abundance of fisheries, and nature of these fisheries, means savvy perch anglers can constantly find a bite that they can enjoy.
Yellow perch are a special element of fishing in South Dakota. Perch are a common pursuit by ice anglers, but anglers throughout the entire season can enjoy these unique populations. Whether it is in search of a true trophy to hang on the wall, a fantastic meal, or just some of the most exciting fishing one can experience, anglers of all skill levels will enjoy searching for their own South Dakota gold!
Learn More About South Dakota Yellow Perch
Want to learn more about the historical management of yellow perch in South Dakota? In Dynamics of South Dakota Yellow Perch, we take a thorough analysis of both the High Quality and Poor Quality populations in the state, environmental factors such as winterkill, the impact (or lack thereof) stocking efforts have on abundance, and both current and historical harvest limits that all impact what perch anglers see. Find all of this, and more, in Dynamics of South Dakota Yellow Perch!
Learn More About Perch Spawning
Nick Harrington takes a thorough analysis of the factors that go into a successful perch spawn in his YouTube video, Understanding Perch Spawn, and discusses everything there is to know about perch recruitment in South Dakota.
Learn More About Ice Fishing in South Dakota
Yellow perch are a favorite among ice anglers and a frequent target throughout the winter months. Find out everything you need to know about ice fishing in South Dakota and have more success through the ice this season!
Find the Latest Fishing Reports
We have you covered for fishing reports from across the Midwest! Whether it’s the Missouri River or Glacial Lakes region of South Dakota we have you covered!
