Hey guys, Ive been lurking around here for awhile and am very pleased with the wealth of knowledge that comes from here. I haven't been fishing that long, but I have caught a few perch. The biggest being about 6 inches. I am curious what the smallest size perch it is that you keep. Or what you would consider the smallest keeper?

6" would be the very bottom of the size i would keep and only if i for some reason thought it was bigger............7 to 8" are ok i have gotten them up to 14". there are some places that 12" would be consider common. just have to look around and hope ya find the mother load.

Sure would be nice if everyone would post a rough geographical area with this type of question, sure would make it easier to answer. That said, the regulations vary from state to state. Here in Il. we don't have a statewide min, but any fish under about 8" to me is not worth the effort to clean unless it is a barotrauma fish that is going to die anyway. Lake Michigan is tough, it gives up good numbers, but the fish are deep and rarely survive a release. The shallower lakes in the area are better for selective harvest. Tom
Fishin' fool in NE Illinois

Indeed, i get that same problem in deep water on lake michigan because the sudden decrease in pressure causes the perch's air bladder to inflate and when you release them, they try to swim back down to the bottom, but they run out of energy and float to the surface; becoming seagull food.  
Tight lines.

use a hyperdermic needle pull the plunger out and throw it away keep the cap that goes over the needle,puncture air bladder let en ough air out the fish can then go under take a child fishing. May god Bless

For me...the minimum size is 9" for a perch...has to be one that's got some shoulders to it too or I'm pretty much got nothing else for the fryer. I much rather prefer the 10" and up.

 

6' to 10" makes good pike and musky bait.

toothy critters like to eat also.