When is yellow perch season in Utah?

Utah 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 Utah bag limit for yellow perch?

The Utah daily bag limit for yellow perch is 50 / day no statewide minimum; 15 / day at Willard Bay Reservoir + inlet channel. The possession limit is 100 in possession (twice the daily limit). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size yellow perch can you keep in Utah?

The Utah size rule for yellow perch is No statewide minimum. Trophy rule: Pineview Reservoir (Ogden River) is Utah's signature yellow perch + tiger muskie ice fishery; Fish Lake + Mantua + Hyrum + Jordanelle + Deer Creek + Yuba all hold strong perch populations; yellow perch are a key forage species for Utah's walleye + tiger muskie + lake trout, so UDWR manages them with a liberal 50 / day harvest limit (reduced to 15 / day at Willard Bay) to keep stunting in check.

Do you need a license to fish for yellow perch in Utah?

Yes. Utah 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 Utah license — compare resident and non-resident Utah fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for yellow perch in Utah?

Yes. In Utah, yellow perch fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; ice-fishing permitted; Utah Fishing License required ages 12+ ($40 res annual / $90 NR annual); Confirm current-year UDWR Fishing Regulations for reservoir-specific panfish reductions.

Do specific Utah waters have different yellow perch rules?

Yes. 4 named Utah waters carry rules that override the statewide yellow perch regulation, including Pineview Reservoir, Fish Lake, Willard Bay, and 1 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Utah Yellow perch 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Perca flavescens

Last updated May 30, 2026

Utah's yellow perch are a popular panfish + ice-fishing target on the state's warmer reservoirs. Pineview Reservoir (Ogden River, Weber County) is Utah's signature yellow perch + tiger muskie water, drawing crowds of ice anglers each winter for its slab perch, and Fish Lake (Sevier County), Mantua Reservoir (Box Elder County), Hyrum Reservoir (Cache County), Jordanelle + Deer Creek Reservoirs (Wasatch County) and Yuba Reservoir (Sevier River) all hold strong perch populations. Yellow perch are a non-native introduction in most Utah waters and a favored forage species for the state's walleye, tiger muskie and lake trout — UDWR manages perch with a liberal statewide bag (50 per day, no minimum size) to encourage harvest and keep stunting in check, while walleye + tiger muskie predator stocking holds perch numbers in balance on reservoirs like Pineview + Yuba. A handful of waters carry tighter limits: Willard Bay Reservoir and its inlet channel are capped at 15 yellow perch per day. Perch school tightly near the bottom and are caught year-round on small jigs tipped with worm, perch meat or wax worm, with the densest action coming through the ice in mid-winter. Open year-round statewide.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round statewide; winter ice-fishing is the peak season on Pineview + Fish Lake + Mantua + Hyrum + Yuba; UDWR manages yellow perch with a liberal 50 / day harvest limit (15 / day at Willard Bay) to control stunting.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 50 / day no statewide minimum; 15 / day at Willard Bay Reservoir + inlet channel
Possession: 100 in possession (twice the daily limit)

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum
Trophy rule: Pineview Reservoir (Ogden River) is Utah's signature yellow perch + tiger muskie ice fishery; Fish Lake + Mantua + Hyrum + Jordanelle + Deer Creek + Yuba all hold strong perch populations; yellow perch are a key forage species for Utah's walleye + tiger muskie + lake trout, so UDWR manages them with a liberal 50 / day harvest limit (reduced to 15 / day at Willard Bay) to keep stunting in check

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; ice-fishing permitted
Utah Fishing License required ages 12+ ($40 res annual / $90 NR annual)
Confirm current-year UDWR Fishing Regulations for reservoir-specific panfish reductions

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Utah waters:

Pineview Reservoir
Utah's signature yellow perch + tiger muskie ice fishery; 50 / day no min
Fish Lake
50 / day no min; strong perch population alongside lake trout + splake
Willard Bay
15 / day yellow perch at the reservoir + inlet channel (reduced from the statewide 50 / day)
Yuba Reservoir
50 / day no min; perch forage base for the reservoir's walleye fishery

Official source

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) publishes the authoritative 2026 Utahfishing 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 Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR)'s official yellow perch regulation page.

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Emergency-order channel

Yellow perch closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Utah Division of Wildlife Resources's emergency-order feed — check it before any Utah trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is yellow perch season in Utah?: Utah 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 Utah bag limit for yellow perch?: The Utah daily bag limit for yellow perch is 50 / day no statewide minimum; 15 / day at Willard Bay Reservoir + inlet channel. The possession limit is 100 in possession (twice the daily limit). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size yellow perch can you keep in Utah?: The Utah size rule for yellow perch is No statewide minimum. Trophy rule: Pineview Reservoir (Ogden River) is Utah's signature yellow perch + tiger muskie ice fishery; Fish Lake + Mantua + Hyrum + Jordanelle + Deer Creek + Yuba all hold strong perch populations; yellow perch are a key forage species for Utah's walleye + tiger muskie + lake trout, so UDWR manages them with a liberal 50 / day harvest limit (reduced to 15 / day at Willard Bay) to keep stunting in check.
Do you need a license to fish for yellow perch in Utah?: Yes. Utah 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 Utah license — compare resident and non-resident Utah fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for yellow perch in Utah?: Yes. In Utah, yellow perch fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; ice-fishing permitted; Utah Fishing License required ages 12+ ($40 res annual / $90 NR annual); Confirm current-year UDWR Fishing Regulations for reservoir-specific panfish reductions.
Do specific Utah waters have different yellow perch rules?: Yes. 4 named Utah waters carry rules that override the statewide yellow perch regulation, including Pineview Reservoir, Fish Lake, Willard Bay, and 1 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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