UTERYellow perch fishing in Lake Michigan
In Lake Michigan, yellow perch peak January–March and May and July–September and are around year-round, spawning in May, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. January: Green Bay ice perch.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Yellow perch in Lake Michigan, month by month
- JanuaryPeakGreen Bay ice perch.
- FebruaryPeakIce fishing peaks on the bays; coho may show off Indiana. Walleye at dusk on Green Bay; shore-cast the Indiana warm-water discharges if the lake is open.
- MarchPeakSpring coho on the southern shore; steelhead run the rivers. Michigan City, Portage and the Chicago harbors — spawn and nightcrawlers under a float. Fox River walleye run.
- AprilAround
- MaySpawningKings show in the south; smallmouth stack in Door County. Troll the spring kings off St. Joseph and Grand Haven; Sturgeon Bay smallies pre-spawn — catch-and-release early season.
- JuneAround
- JulyPeakPerch off the southern piers — Chicago and Indiana.
- AugustPeakKings staging off the pier heads. Ludington, Manistee, Frankfort — glow spoons at first light near the mouths.
- SeptemberPeakThe salmon run. Pere Marquette, Big Manistee, the Root and the Kewaunee — skein and spawn, flies in the flies-only water.
- OctoberAround
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish yellow perch near Chicago, Michigan City, St. Joseph
The salmon lake: open water to 900 feet with kings and coho over the thermocline, the river mouths and pier heads of Michigan's west coast where the runs stage, the shallow southern end where the spring coho come in, and Green Bay — a walleye, pike, muskie, perch and whitefish fishery all its own.
Fish Scouter charts 434 lake, 75 reservoir spots in the Lake Michigan map area — the kinds yellow perch hold on.
What to use for yellow perch
- Minnows (fatheads, shiners)Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers.
- Wax wormsOne or two on a tiny ice jig or a #10 hook for bluegill, perch and crappie, under the ice or a float.
- NightcrawlersWhole on a #6 to #2 hook under a bobber or on a bottom rig; threaded on a spinner harness drifted for walleye. The bait that catches everything in fresh water.
- Leader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 34–80°F water, best at 55–72°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch yellow perch in Lake Michigan?
Peak season is January–March and May and July–September, with fish spawning in May (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Yellow perch are here year-round. January: Green Bay ice perch.
Where do yellow perch hold in Lake Michigan?
Look on lake, fishing pier, river — around Chicago, Michigan City, St. Joseph, Ludington, Manistee, Milwaukee.
What is the best bait for yellow perch in Lake Michigan?
Live bait: minnows (fatheads, shiners), wax worms, nightcrawlers. Minnows (fatheads, shiners): Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers. Tackle: leader 10–20 lb fluorocarbon, hook #2–3/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
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