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Best yellow perch lakes in Ontario

5084 Ontario waters hold yellow perch, 2551 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 Erie — Central Basin West — 77 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Channel CatfishWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 14 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
2. Lake Erie — Eastern Basin — 205 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
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. Lac Seul — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
5. Lake Erie — Western Basin — 48 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel CatfishWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
6. Lake Huron — Thumb Shore — 191 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch, SteelheadWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
7. Lake of the Woods — 36 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
8. Lake Abitibi — 49 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
9. Sandy Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
10. Long Lake — 400 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
11. Lake Abitibi — 49 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Georgian Bay — Manitoulin & Killarney Shore — 353 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow TroutWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
13. Lake Nipissing — 230 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites
14. Lake Nipissing — 230 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites
15. Lake Simcoe — 135 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 90 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
16. Lake St. Clair — 27 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites
17. Sturgeon Lake — 260 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 10 public access sites
18. Georgian Bay — Bruce Peninsula & Tobermory — 567 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
19. Georgian Bay — Nottawasaga Bay — 314 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow TroutWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
20. Georgian Bay — Parry Sound — 350 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 11 public access sites
21. Georgian Bay — Owen Sound & Colpoys Bay — 405 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
22. Deer Lake — 217 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
23. Georgian Bay — French River & Key Harbour — 155 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
24. Lake Timiskaming — 70 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger, Northern PikeWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
25. Red Lake — 140 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger, Northern PikeWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites

…plus 5059 more Ontario waters holding yellow perch.

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When to fish yellow perch in Ontario

• 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.

Also in Ontario: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best white bass lakes · best sauger lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best longnose gar lakes · best chinook salmon lakes · best coho salmon lakes · best steelhead lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best landlocked salmon lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best burbot lakes · best rock bass lakes · best white perch lakes · best cisco (lake herring) lakes · best splake lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes · best brown bullhead lakes · best lake sturgeon lakes

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