As kids back in the 1960's we'd catch hundred's of them when they 1st showed up in lake erie & bring them home to put in the garden. Every year 1 row of the garden wouldn't get planted and a trough was dug and filled with fish/fish guts, compost, egg shells, oyster & clam shells, etc. It was nothing to toss a couple 1000 white bass in 1 of those troughs in the garden.
While most people up here don't eat the white perch I do. You should give them a try
I like them broiled with a little butter, lemon pepper and salt. If filleted I eat them strait out of the oven. If I cut the head off, scale and gut them and then broil them I let them cool and pick the meat off and put it in rice or vegetables. They're actually down right tasty with broccoli.
Anyway don't let me discourage you from trying them. I just wouldn't put them in the same class as yellow perch.