Yellow Perch sub-species???

[Lord_of_the_Perch]

Folks,

I have had numerous discussions with a fellow worker regarding multiple sub-species of yellow perch on Champlain. He claims that there are several different sub species, and that like Canada geese, there are bigger and smaller sub species.

Based on his theory, the larger perch school together, the smaller perch school with their own kind, and so on. His claim is that all fisherman should kill as many of the smaller sub species perch as possible to reduce competion between sub species.

Is their any truth to this???

Thanks,
Ken   

[tench]

No idea. I looked on the list of VT fish and only one yellow perch is listed, but there is a logperch, sauger, walleye, and a bunch of different darter species. The logperch is definately not a yellow perch, sauger are most likely gone in Champlain and were just small walleyes for the most part. So based on this, I'd say that it is just different habitats producing different fish. Fish that eat more fish are going to be bigger than "grass perch" and so on.

[optimusfisher]

I dunno I've gotten itty bitties and good sizers within close proximity and timing of each other, so they were obviously schooled together. Other times it seems like you get all slabs or all dinks. I always just chalked it up to dumb luck of what happened to decide to wander under the hole that day.

[bradroy55]

Folks,

I have had numerous discussions with a fellow worker regarding multiple sub-species of yellow perch on Champlain. He claims that there are several different sub species, and that like Canada geese, there are bigger and smaller sub species.

Based on his theory, the larger perch school together, the smaller perch school with their own kind, and so on. His claim is that all fisherman should kill as many of the smaller sub species perch as possible to reduce competion between sub species.

Is their any truth to this???

Thanks,
Ken   

Im not a biologist by any means but my theory is that it would be based upon spawning habits. By that  i mean that early on when females are developing eggs and such that the males and females may be seperated or loosly bound because they have no reason to school together. And males are smaller this time of year because the females have a belly full of eggs. This would make it so you would catch all big males or all scrawny females. Then as spawning gets closer and closer the males and females begin to disperse more throughout eachother for a more effective way to release and fertalize eggs. this would cause you to catch a "mixed bag" of slabs and dinks.

Like i said, im no biologist but i do fish a lot, so this is strictly a theory. Im sure i will be corrected  haha

[duckdownr]

I am new to this fishing thing, and what I have seen is just dumb luck. The reason I say this is lastweekend I caught slab yellow and white perch as well as dinks at the same time. One pole would have a nice white perch and the other a dink yellow then two yellow slabbers the next minute??? I think they all just school together like guppies. I dont know just my very uselss 2 cents

[bradroy55]

I dont know just my very uselss 2 cents

I think us fishermen only get one cent worth of input and belief from others. Hahaha 

[Fish Farmer]

Ok, I'll attempt a reply.

I have never heard of sub species or different strains of yellow perch in Champlain. It is possible to exist in some form with different waterbodies that aren't connected, like champlain vs. magog for example where fish may express different growth, habits, etc. And this may perhaps happen on Champlain with lets say northern perch vs southern perch where and IF they don't share the same habitats, but I'm not a biologist so I'm thinking aloud.

My question to your friend is, does he catch small and large perch within travel distance of each other? And if he says that they DO compete with each other for food, then they MUST overlap thier habitat and probably spawn in the same areas and are probably the same strain and just separated by size/age.

But if he does catch adult spawing fish of different size classes in separate areas, that would an be interesting observation.

I'm not a perch biologist so I'm just throwing ideas out there.

[Lord_of_the_Perch]

Ok, I'll attempt a reply.

I have never heard of sub species or different strains of yellow perch in Champlain. It is possible to exist in some form with different waterbodies that aren't connected, like champlain vs. magog for example where fish may express different growth, habits, etc. And this may perhaps happen on Champlain with lets say northern perch vs southern perch where and IF they don't share the same habitats, but I'm not a biologist so I'm thinking aloud.

My question to your friend is, does he catch small and large perch within travel distance of each other? And if he says that they DO compete with each other for food, then they MUST overlap thier habitat and probably spawn in the same areas and are probably the same strain and just separated by size/age.

But if he does catch adult spawing fish of different size classes in separate areas, that would an be interesting observation.

I'm not a perch biologist so I'm just throwing ideas out there.

Fish Farmer,

My coworker believes he is an authority on fishing. I, personally do not believe there are multiple sub species. He has no substancial evidence...just his belief.

I believe that (and I could be way off) that different size perch school together. The larger perch perhaps feed on different forage at different depths from the bottom. I have caught many big perch jigging right on the bottom, while smaller fish will hit 1 foot or higher off the bottom.

You guys have provided some very interesting points of view.

Keep them coming....

[razzledazzle]

Personnaly I think it's all about age class and where that particular age class likes to hang out.  I think the younger perch, dinks, grass perch, etc... stay in shallower water untill they get to a certain size.  Once they are larger, older, wiser, etc...they move out into deeper water.
Sure they overlap and perch are a schooling species to they will mix somewhat.  When they do mix, sometimes the smaller ones will be the ones scraping along the bottom and the larger will be 3-5 feet above, all in the same school.

Spring comes, perch spawn in the spring.  Here comes all the big mature adult fish, staging to spawn.  These fish move in from the deeper waters to find warmer spawning grounds.  The shallower water, where most of us tend to fish, is now full of the mature adult fish at this time, and thats the time I really like for pulling perch, just before the ice to too unsafe!

[duckdownr]

I do know they all taste good??

Another cent

[jf5]

I never heard of that. Just sounds like he catchign small perch with some big perch.