Thread: What the difference between White Perch and Perch

I'm used to the Perch we catch on Lake Michigan. I assume they are regular Perch, but I may sound stupid when I ask this, is there a difference between White Perch and "run of the mill" Perch?

I thought I'd post this question instead of looking it up myself, just so "it would be on the record" for all to hear about.

Ed, perch (Family Percidae) is just a general name for the 130 species of perch found in North America. That is according to my reference. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Fishes. Definately had to look that one up. LOL

These are white perch:



Prolific spawners, and have been known to ruin good fisheries. We have a Corp lake here in Pa. that these fish have just shown up in over the last 3 years. Great fishing - super topwater action.


Yellow perch for comparison:

I have the same reference and had to look it up, too. White perch are a "temperate bass" in the family Percichthylidae and are native to the brackish waters of the East Coast. They are in Lake Erie and are considered an invasive species. They should not be released when caught.

Yellow perch are native to northern waters are in the same family as walleye, sauger, and the hybrid saugeye.

All of them are in the Order Perciformes.

Confused? - Roberta

I don'twant to be rude but the pic is of a yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and the fish you want is a white perch(Morone americana) go to this web site to get a pic and more in fo on the white perch. http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/greatla...hiteperch.html

But all the other info about the perch family is fact. Sorry about that, taking water sciences.

SO sorry about that, I did not realize that the pic was for comparison and thought it was stating that the pic (of the yellow perch) was of a white perch. I apoligize deeply.

Just to confuse the whole issue...

Here in North Louisiana..we call Crappie..duh..White Perch, as well a 'specs'.

Of course, in South Louisiana they call a crappie a sac-a-lait.

Enjoy the confusion. LOL

Eat Um All!!!!CF

We used to catch white perch by the hundreds in all kinds of water (lakes, streams, brackish bays, rivers) up in Maryland. Spent three years up there and kept more white perch than I cared to eat. They are lots of fun on ultralight tackle. And they are good eating too. Of course not near as good as crappie. Kind of like a white bass, with less blood line. Those pics posted of all those in the buckets bring back memories.

I am enjoying this talk of perch, as I grew up in the lake Erie area. Some of the best fishing I can remember was fishing for crappie (calico bass we use to call them.) Just to add to the confusion hehe, we could catch hundreds of yellow perch while trying to get your bait to the crappie, Lake Chautauqua was one of the best lake's for yellow perch at the time, most would be tossed back, but I guess my point is, whenever we would catch some decent size yellow's, I would dare to say that we would enjoy the flavor of the perch over the crappie, that natural butter-ish flavor is really hard to beat. I have tasted the white perch, and they are also very good eating.
And just to throw it in, some of the salt water perch like opal eye perch, (native west coast), and ocean perch share similar flavor.
Any more thoughts on taste ? crappie vs perch< just curious of others thoughts>
good fishing.