Many studies on fish populations focus on species existing in exploited systems.
Data regarding unexploited fish populations can provide useful insight for fishery managers.
Yellow perch were collected in the spring of 1997 and 1998 using trap nets and boat electrofishing gear. The age and size structures were dramatically different for males and females collected on the spawning grounds. Most males collected were two years of age and between 80 and 170 mm, while most females were four years of age and older and were between 220 and 350 mm. The abundance of small males on the spawning grounds is consistent with data from exploited systems. However, the number of large, older females collected seems unique to unexploited systems.