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Best yellow perch lakes in Indiana

40 Indiana waters hold yellow perch, 34 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The premier eating panfish. Roams soft-bottom flats and weed edges in schools — a daytime biter.

1. Lake Michigan — Illinois and Indiana Shore — 258 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Chinook Salmon, Coho SalmonWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 10 public access sites
2. Lake Wawasee — 75 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
3. Crooked Lake (Steuben) — 81 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
4. Bass Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
5. Lake Tippecanoe — 123 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
6. Hamilton Lake — 69 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
7. Winona Lake — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
8. George lake — 82 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
9. Lake Maxinkuckee — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. The Backwaters — 6 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Oliver Lake — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Lake James — 86 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
13. Lake of the Woods — 84 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
14. Hoffman Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
15. Long Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Pretty Lake — 82 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
17. Nyona Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, White Bass & Hybrids, Yellow PerchWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Barton Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
19. Little Chapman Lake — 29 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Riddles Lake — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
21. TROY-CEDAR LAKE — 84 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
22. Bixler Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
23. Lincoln Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
24. Lukens Lake — 39 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
25. Clear Lake (Steuben) — 108 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites

…plus 15 more Indiana waters holding yellow perch.

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When to fish yellow perch in Indiana

• Spring 3–12 ft — Spawning runs to shallow weeds and gravel — find the school, stay on it.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Schools slide deeper to soft-bottom flats and deep weedlines.
• Fall 12–35 ft — Jumbo perch pod up on deep basin flats feeding on invertebrates.
• Winter 15–35 ft — A premier ice-fishing target — deep mud flats, small jigs.

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