Spawing question

[SeaRay]

I have been picking up a lot of perch that are loaded with eggs. The water temp here is around 51 to 54 degrees and it is only going to get colder. Do the perch spawn earlier than the crappie? What is their spawning pattern?(shallow, brush, beds!!)
I have not fished for perch before this year but they are so stacked up I couldn't resist. Did not expect them to be in prespawn mode. It would seem to me if they spawn a month or two before the crappie the crappie would feast on their young during thier spawning.
SeaRay

[tenncrappie]

I'm pretty sure Perch are in the Walleye family so I'd defer to someone that would know about that. For starters.

[CrappiePappy]

Yeah ... and we'd need to know if you're talking about White Perch or Yellow Perch, too !!

... cp

[waterboy1]

If yellow perch, I know on lake michigan they would move into the grass beds in may.

[Locator79]

You can catch crappie with a belly full of eggs summer, fall, and winter too. They are for the upcoming spring spawn.

[SeaRay]

Sorry I was not specific. I was talking about white perch, which I have learned is closely related to the striped bass. It spawns in the spring according to the info I found. The one I caught Saturday was just so fat with eggs I did not think she would last another 3 months. Probably look like a basketball by them.
I wish we had a yellow perch fishery in SC but they do not grow to any size here. I have eaten them in Ohio though and they are one of the best tasting fish I've eaten.
SeaRay