Yellow Perch - what's going on?

[West Basin]

Here's something to ponder, and the Lake researchers are looking at it. The Spiny Water Flea has been in Lake Erie since the mid 1980's. But large populations haven't been seen until recently. They are voracious feeders on other zooplankton, such as Daphnia (another "water flea" common in Lake Erie). Daphnia feed on algae. Spiny Water Fleas reproduce rapidly once the water temperature gets warm - late summer. Lots of fisherfolks have been finding the Spiny Water Fleas in Yellow Perch stomachs. Stomachs full of them. This hasn't been seen in the past. Maybe the larger algae blooms in recent years are at least partly accountable to the Spiny Water Flea. And the poor Yellow Perch fishing this year in August and so far in September.

[EyeSquaredR]

Here's something to ponder, and the Lake researchers are looking at it. The Spiny Water Flea has been in Lake Erie since the mid 1980's. But large populations haven't been seen until recently. They are voracious feeders on other zooplankton, such as Daphnia (another "water flea" common in Lake Erie). Daphnia feed on algae. Spiny Water Fleas reproduce rapidly once the water temperature gets warm - late summer. Lots of fisherfolks have been finding the Spiny Water Fleas in Yellow Perch stomachs. Stomachs full of them. This hasn't been seen in the past. Maybe the larger algae blooms in recent years are at least partly accountable to the Spiny Water Flea. And the poor Yellow Perch fishing this year in August and so far in September.

so, is your hypothesis that the perch are too well-fed to bite? or that they've lost their appetites for shiners, for example? (the emeralds have also been largely absent this year)

[bobd47fish]

Here's something to ponder, and the Lake researchers are looking at it. The Spiny Water Flea has been in Lake Erie since the mid 1980's. But large populations haven't been seen until recently. They are voracious feeders on other zooplankton, such as Daphnia (another "water flea" common in Lake Erie). Daphnia feed on algae. Spiny Water Fleas reproduce rapidly once the water temperature gets warm - late summer. Lots of fisherfolks have been finding the Spiny Water Fleas in Yellow Perch stomachs. Stomachs full of them. This hasn't been seen in the past. Maybe the larger algae blooms in recent years are at least partly accountable to the Spiny Water Flea. And the poor Yellow Perch fishing this year in August and so far in September.

I think the main reason is water temperature. currently, lake wide surface temperatures are around 70. in the 90’s, this time of year the surface temps were in the mid 60’s (most years). with those temperatures wee would catch big perch (10-12”) in 12’ of water just off bolles harbor.
last few years,worldwide, hottest temperatures on record. of course the idiot in office disagrees, to our detriment.

[GRINGO LOCO]

I think the main reason is water temperature. currently, lake wide surface temperatures are around 70. in the 90’s, this time of year the surface temps were in the mid 60’s (most years). with those temperatures wee would catch big perch (10-12”) in 12’ of water just off bolles harbor.
last few years,worldwide, hottest temperatures on record. of course the idiot in office disagrees, to our detriment.

The idiots are those that want us to become socialists. Sorry could not let that go as I realize this is no place for politics

[rscotfish]

so i heard a story that the dnr said that the spiny water flea is a very large hatch this year and the perch are full easy food but the water flea does not stay on the bottom they go the middle of the water and the perch are chasing them so they are not in schools on the bottom but are scattered through the water column thats why we catch one here or there but the fish are there and plenty of them what i would like to know is when do they hatch and how long do they hatch last year it was good fishing till the 2nd week of august around wards and intake area a can where we fish we would go out and pick at them it was like a light switch one day we got them the next day we only got 1 limit of 30 for 4 guys and we finally started to pick at them and getting limits but out a lot farther we traveled 15 miles from shore. but the netters are getting some be cause i bought a hundred pounds live weight. and so did my fishing buddys we have not gave up yet but ill have some fish in the freezer. went out monday got 6 perch came home and ordered fish

[itsbob]

Yes,this has been the worst perch catching season in memory.Seams like the balance in Erie is out of whack.The perch catching has been terrible all over lake past 3yrs and now the western basin has poor perching also.The past two seasons in the western basin,guys had remarked about the good size perch they were catching and hardly any dinks.Well,those dinks were the next age class we needed to catch this year.There has also been hardly any emerald shiners to use for fishing.The number one preferred bait to catch walleye and for them to eat out in lake.Some guys are blaming commercial netting.But we have had netters for quite some time.Some are blaming all the walleye in the lake eating young perch and chasing perch to prevent them from schooling up.We had large walleye population in the 80s and still had plenty of perch to catch.But we did not have all the invasive species in Erie in the 80s,like we do now.Now the ODNR is telling us that the perch population is fine and the reason nobody can catch perch on rod and reel is due to perch eating the spiny flees in our lake.I can imagine the perch eating whatever is available,but having an unlimited amount of one food source so you are not hungry to eat goldie minnows or other bait is difficult reason to accept.If the perch numbers are in fact healthy,i would expect the commercial guys to catch the same amount perch as in past years.Will be interesting on how this plays out.I do think the emerald shiner population will rebound but not sure if that will affect the perch catching in the future.

[fishhawk2700]

Lake Erie walleye quotas up but ‘devastating’ drop for yellow perch | Windsor Star

Perch numbers are down, and remember, commercial boats don't need these fish to "bite". They will Take every LB of fish they are allowed to take. If the numbers are down, they just have to fish more. If allowed they will fish until there is nothing left. It has happened before, it will happen again.

[West Basin]

The main point to remember here is Lake Erie is a dynamic system, like all environments. There is no “normal,” only short and long term trends.

The theory is the spiny water fleas are eating enough of the other algae-eating zooplankton to at least partially account for the increased late summer algae blooms. The huge/large population of the spiny water flea provides an easy and plentiful food source for Yellow Perch. As long as that food source is readily available, the perch will take advantage of it, almost exclusively. So yes, the system seems to be altered. One thing effects another and on down the line. All other factors also play a role; higher water levels, water temperatures and other water parameters, a high walleye population, etc.

Commercial fishing is highly regulated and monitored. There is little chance it is a significant factor in any of this.

The researches and monitors will continue to study this and figure out what’s going on. Meanwhile we fisherfolks will do what we often do – adapt.

[Southern OH Percid angler]

Remember when zebra mussels were going to wreck everything and lead to the death of the great lakes. The main thing is not to panic and let this work out. if there's a major problem it'll eventually show it's self. I agree it's highly unlikely commercial nets are to blame. They are watched like a hawk. The spiny water fleas will go through a population explosion then die down to a norm or go away. It'll take a few years but it'll happen. That's how invasive species go.

[ttinman23]

No, you are good it needed to be said. Thanks.