I've heard yellow perch are very tasty. I'd like to put some in the freezer. Has anyone ever fished for them?

What's the closest lake to Texas to get into some good yellow perch fishing? What's the best time of year to go after them?

I know they catch good numbers and size out of Eagle Nest in New Mexico.

I know the 3rd week in September was a great time to catch them in Michigan.

Yellow perch are excellent eating. Close cousins to walleye, walleye is actually a member of the perch family.
I don't know anywhere in Texas that has them.

We used to fish for yellow perch in South Dakota when I was growing up in Nebraska. Everything I've heard is Eagles Nest in New Mexico is your best bet. In the fall they would school up and eat up before winter. Late September or early October was the best bet. I don't know what it would be in New Mexico.

Yellow Perch are very good eating. They were a favorite target for ice fishing when i lived in Pennsylvania. We caught them on small jigs and often hit small shiners on tip-ups.
They are very popular for fishermen on Lake Erie. They actually have party boats that specifically target Yellow Perch. They travel in schools so when catch one your likely to catch several more. During the warmer months they readily hit small minnows, small spoons and spinners.
They are generally found in clear water lakes.

Meredith Res and Greenbelt Res are suppose to have breeding populations.

Great eating fish and caught up here in a few lakes ice fishing.

I believe Meredith used to have them, but when the lake got down to dead pool for years it pretty much killed everything off if what I heard is right. When the lake came back up it didn’t get restocked with yellow perch. I don’t know about greenbelt. There are yellow perch in New Mexico and Colorado and then of course in the Midwest.

Perch caught on a spoon in Washington state. Very unusual for them to chase lures, especially big ones.

Yellow perch are also a favorite prey species for all predator fish.
They are illegal to use for bait in states that I know of.

Eagle Nest in NM has a bunch. I've caught them on crappie jigs and slow trolling a mini Carolina rigged 3" trout worm. Meredith and Greenbelt in the Panhandle do not have them anymore.

We have them , and walleye, in some Eastern Wyoming lakes.

Just about my favorite eating fish:





For me they are a winter pastime but i know of those who do target them in the softwater season:





Perch and walleye feed:

Yellow perch are the best eating fish out there! I used to live near lake Michigan in the north Chicago area. We used to go down to the "fishing pier" and catch TONS of yellow perch on believe it or not, small raw shrimp (they were very cheap at the time). Being in Texas for the past 30+ years I really miss yellow perch (and walleye).

I have caught a few out of the Navasota river so Lake Limestone has them.