FishLimit

OH · Yellow perch

Ohio yellow perch limits

Away from Lake Erie, Ohio lets you keep 30 yellow perch a day with no minimum length. On Lake Erie the limit depends on the zone you fish: 30 in the West Zone, 10 in the Central Zone and 20 in the East Zone from May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027, and never more than 30 in a day in total.

Verified 2026-10-30

Updated

Limits at a glance

Regulation period: March 1, 2026 through Feb. 28, 2027 (Lake Erie perch limits: May 1, 2026 – Apr. 30, 2027).

Statewide public waters (where no site-specific rule applies)

Daily limit
30 per day

DatesOpen all year

Size ruleNo minimum length

Lake Erie West Zone: Ohio waters west of 82°30′ W (roughly Toledo to Huron)

Daily limit
30 per day

SeasonMay 1, 2026 – Apr. 30, 2027

Size ruleNo minimum length

Lake Erie Central Zone: between 82°30′ W and 81°20′ W (roughly Huron to Fairport Harbor)

Daily limit
10 per day

SeasonMay 1, 2026 – Apr. 30, 2027

Size ruleNo minimum length

Lake Erie East Zone: Ohio waters east of 81°20′ W (roughly Fairport Harbor to the Pennsylvania line)

Daily limit
20 per day

SeasonMay 1, 2026 – Apr. 30, 2027

Size ruleNo minimum length

Pymatuning Lake (shared with Pennsylvania)

Daily limit
No daily limit (perch fall under “all other fish”)

DatesOpen all year

Size ruleNo minimum length

Watch for

  • No one may take or possess more than 30 yellow perch in one day from Lake Erie, however many zones you fish. Fishing the Central Zone after the West Zone does not add 10 to your 30.
  • The zone lines are lines of longitude: W 82° 30.000′ (decimal −82.5) and W 81° 20.000′ (decimal −81.33333). A phone or chartplotter showing coordinates tells you which zone you are in.
  • The Lake Erie limits also cover Maumee and Sandusky bays, East, Middle and West harbors, and tributaries up to listed end points such as the first dam on the Maumee River (Grand Rapids) and the waterworks dam on the Sandusky River in Tiffin.
  • The Lake Erie limits are set each spring from the interagency quota. The current set runs to April 30, 2027; the next one takes effect May 1, 2027. The booklet's March 1 – April 30, 2026 limits were the same 30, 10 and 20.
  • The Lake Erie limits also apply if you fish elsewhere but land your catch at an Ohio port.

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Ohio · Yellow perch

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Quick answers

What is the daily limit for yellow perch in Ohio?

Statewide public waters (where no site-specific rule applies): 30 per day. Size rule: No minimum length. Other waters and date windows have different rules; see the table. Verify with Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife.

Which regulations do these Ohio figures come from?

March 1, 2026 through Feb. 28, 2027 (Lake Erie perch limits: May 1, 2026 – Apr. 30, 2027), as published by Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife. Last verified 2026-10-30.