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Best yellow perch lakes in Ohio

55 Ohio waters hold yellow perch, 55 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. Wauseon Reservoir — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
2. Lake Erie — Central Basin West — 77 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Channel CatfishWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 14 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
3. Lake Erie — Central Basin East — 92 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Channel CatfishWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Lake Erie — Western Basin — 48 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel CatfishWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
5. Lake Erie — Sandusky Bay — 19 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
6. Pymatuning Reservoir — 33 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
7. Grand Lake St. Marys — 14 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
8. Indian Lake — 13 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
9. Mosquito Creek Lake — 26 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
10. Portage Lakes (Turkeyfoot) — 61 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
11. Veto Lake — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
12. Williams Reservoir — 54 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
13. Long Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
14. Chippewa Lake — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
15. Ohio Power Company Pond Mb-46 — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
16. Lost Creek Reservoir — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
17. Turkey Creek Lake — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
18. La Su An La Su An — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
19. Adams Lake — 14 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
20. Fremont Reservoir — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
21. East Branch Reservoir — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
22. Wellington South Reservoir — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
23. Lake Alma — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
24. Rush Run Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
25. Norwalk Upper Reservoir — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached

…plus 30 more Ohio waters holding yellow perch.

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When to fish yellow perch in Ohio

• 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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