When is yellow perch season in District of Columbia?

District of Columbia keeps yellow perch open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.

What is the District of Columbia bag limit for yellow perch?

The District of Columbia daily bag limit for yellow perch is 3 / day (DC DOEE); 10 / day on the PRFC tidal Potomac mainstem. The possession limit is 3 in possession (DC DOEE). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size yellow perch can you keep in District of Columbia?

The District of Columbia size rule for yellow perch is 8 in minimum (DC DOEE); 9 in minimum on the PRFC tidal Potomac mainstem. Trophy rule: DC recreational yellow perch record is currently vacant (DOEE Recreational Angling Records program launched 2022); the Anacostia + Washington Channel spring run produces the better fish. DOEE fish-consumption advisory applies — confirm current guidance before harvesting for the table.

Do you need a license to fish for yellow perch in District of Columbia?

Yes. District of Columbia requires a valid fishing license to fish for yellow perch, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a District of Columbia license — compare resident and non-resident District of Columbia fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for yellow perch in District of Columbia?

Yes. In District of Columbia, yellow perch fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; shad dart + minnow, small grubs, grass shrimp / bull-minnow bottom rigs; DC Fishing Licence required ages 16-64; DC DOEE 8 in / 3 per day differs from the PRFC tidal-mainstem 9 in / 10 per day — know which jurisdiction you are fishing; DOEE consumption advisory applies on the Tidal Potomac + Anacostia.

Do specific District of Columbia waters have different yellow perch rules?

Yes. 3 named District of Columbia waters carry rules that override the statewide yellow perch regulation, including Anacostia River, Washington Channel, Tidal Potomac River — DC waters. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

District of Columbia Yellow perch 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Perca flavescens

Last updated June 3, 2026

Yellow perch is the District's classic cool-season panfish and an early-spring spawning-run target on the Tidal Potomac River + Anacostia River + their tidal tributaries. Yellow perch are semi-anadromous in the Chesapeake system — adults stage in the deeper tidal river through winter, then run up the freshwater-tidal creeks (Anacostia tributaries, the upper tidal Potomac near the fall line) to spawn on submerged brush + grass in late February through April, the first reliable open-water bite of the DC fishing calendar. DC DOEE sets a genuine creel + size limit under DCMR Title 19 — an 8-inch minimum length + 3 fish per day — which is more conservative than the Potomac River Fisheries Commission tidal-mainstem rule (9-inch minimum + 10 per day), one of the documented divergences between the District's standalone DOEE regulations and the PRFC rule that governs the river's Maryland + Virginia segments. Hains Point, the Washington Channel, the Tidal Basin, and the Anacostia banks all produce the spring perch run. Standard tackle is a light spinning rod with a shad dart + minnow, a small grub, or a bottom rig with grass shrimp or bull minnows.

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Season

Open year-round Year-round; the late-Feb – Apr spring spawning run is the prime bite. DC DOEE 8 in min + 3 / day (DCMR Title 19); PRFC tidal-Potomac mainstem 9 in min + 10 / day.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 3 / day (DC DOEE); 10 / day on the PRFC tidal Potomac mainstem
Possession: 3 in possession (DC DOEE)

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 8 in minimum (DC DOEE); 9 in minimum on the PRFC tidal Potomac mainstem
Trophy rule: DC recreational yellow perch record is currently vacant (DOEE Recreational Angling Records program launched 2022); the Anacostia + Washington Channel spring run produces the better fish. DOEE fish-consumption advisory applies — confirm current guidance before harvesting for the table

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; shad dart + minnow, small grubs, grass shrimp / bull-minnow bottom rigs
DC Fishing Licence required ages 16-64
DC DOEE 8 in / 3 per day differs from the PRFC tidal-mainstem 9 in / 10 per day — know which jurisdiction you are fishing
DOEE consumption advisory applies on the Tidal Potomac + Anacostia

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific District of Columbia waters:

Anacostia River
8 in min, 3 / day (DC DOEE); late-Feb – Apr spawning run up the tidal tributaries
Washington Channel
8 in min, 3 / day (DC DOEE); reliable winter + early-spring perch
Tidal Potomac River — DC waters
8 in min + 3 / day under DC DOEE; the PRFC tidal-Potomac mainstem rule is 9 in min + 10 / day — the two jurisdictions differ

Official source

District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) — Fisheries and Wildlife Division publishes the authoritative 2026 District of Columbiafishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

The yellow perch rules on this page are sourced from District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) — Fisheries and Wildlife Division's official yellow perch regulation page.

Visit official District of Columbia fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Yellow perch closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment's emergency-order feed — check it before any District of Columbia trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is yellow perch season in District of Columbia?: District of Columbia keeps yellow perch open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
What is the District of Columbia bag limit for yellow perch?: The District of Columbia daily bag limit for yellow perch is 3 / day (DC DOEE); 10 / day on the PRFC tidal Potomac mainstem. The possession limit is 3 in possession (DC DOEE). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size yellow perch can you keep in District of Columbia?: The District of Columbia size rule for yellow perch is 8 in minimum (DC DOEE); 9 in minimum on the PRFC tidal Potomac mainstem. Trophy rule: DC recreational yellow perch record is currently vacant (DOEE Recreational Angling Records program launched 2022); the Anacostia + Washington Channel spring run produces the better fish. DOEE fish-consumption advisory applies — confirm current guidance before harvesting for the table.
Do you need a license to fish for yellow perch in District of Columbia?: Yes. District of Columbia requires a valid fishing license to fish for yellow perch, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a District of Columbia license — compare resident and non-resident District of Columbia fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for yellow perch in District of Columbia?: Yes. In District of Columbia, yellow perch fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; shad dart + minnow, small grubs, grass shrimp / bull-minnow bottom rigs; DC Fishing Licence required ages 16-64; DC DOEE 8 in / 3 per day differs from the PRFC tidal-mainstem 9 in / 10 per day — know which jurisdiction you are fishing; DOEE consumption advisory applies on the Tidal Potomac + Anacostia.
Do specific District of Columbia waters have different yellow perch rules?: Yes. 3 named District of Columbia waters carry rules that override the statewide yellow perch regulation, including Anacostia River, Washington Channel, Tidal Potomac River — DC waters. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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