Yellow perch are a favourite pan-fish across the Great Lakes and Midwest, and knowing what your catch weighs is half the fun of a good perch bite. This yellow perch length-to-weight chart gives quick weight estimates by length for fish in average condition.
Yellow perch length-to-weight chart
These figures use weight (lb) = length cubed divided by 2,000 (length in inches), which matches widely published yellow perch data — roughly half a pound at 10 inches and over a pound at 13 inches.
| Length | Average weight |
|---|---|
| 6″ | 0.11 lb |
| 7″ | 0.17 lb |
| 8″ | 0.26 lb |
| 9″ | 0.36 lb |
| 10″ | 0.50 lb |
| 11″ | 0.67 lb |
| 12″ | 0.86 lb |
| 13″ | 1.10 lb |
| 14″ | 1.37 lb |
Why your fish may weigh more or less
A chart can only show an average. Yellow perch in highly productive lakes — where forage is abundant and the population isn’t overcrowded — tend to be deep-bodied and can outweigh the chart by 10–15% for their length. In heavily fished lakes where perch compete for limited food, fish often run lean. Perch in the same lake will also vary seasonally: fish bulk up before and after spawn and may slim down during spawning itself.
What counts as a “jumbo” perch
The threshold varies by region, but most anglers use 10–12 inches as the marker for a jumbo yellow perch — big enough for a worthwhile fillet. A fish at the top of the table (13–14 inches) is a genuine trophy in most waters. In the Great Lakes and in large, productive northern lakes, fish in that range appear regularly; in smaller ponds, a 10-inch perch can be the fish of the trip.
Get a weight tailored to your fish
For a more precise estimate, measure length and girth and use our free fish weight calculator — it applies the proven length-and-girth formula and returns a weight in pounds, ounces, and kilograms.