It may be so large that we have nothing to compare it to. Research scientists are keeping their fingers crossed, but they are having a hard time disguising their joy over the 1996 spring hatch of yellow perch in Lake Erie. After several lean years in which yellow perch stocks appeared to be in trouble, the 1996 year class looks as if it may exceed the 1984 and 1986 hatches. The perch hatch is probably the best we've seen in a decade, while the walleye hatch is likely the second highest in the past five years. Hopefully these fish will survive to become part of the fishable population two to three years down the road.
Environmental factors play a big part in the success of a spawn.
Cold, windy weather and rough lake conditions tend to destroy larvae, especially that of walleye. Other factors affect the survival rate of young of year, including summer water temperatures and conditions, abundance and quality of food, and the abundance of predators and competitors. Commercials are reporting incidents of perch cannibalism in which mature perch are found with young perch in their mouths or stomachs.