White Perch Fishing Guide

Despite the name, white perch (Morone americana) are not true perch at all — they are a temperate bass closely related to striped bass and white bass. Adults are silver-gray to pale green with a moderately compressed body and three separate dorsal fins, similar in overall body plan to a small striped bass without the stripes. White perch are native to Atlantic coastal rivers and the Chesapeake Bay system but have expanded dramatically after accidental introduction to Lake Ontario in the 1950s, spreading throughout the Great Lakes and many inland lakes via canals and baitbucket releases. In their native range, spring runs of white perch up tidal rivers draw crowds of anglers; the fish are aggressive, abundant, and delicious. They are considered invasive in the Great Lakes basin where they compete with native species and consume significant quantities of walleye eggs.

White Perch is a freshwater and saltwater species.

Habitat

Tidal rivers, estuaries, and coastal bays from Nova Scotia to South Carolina; also established in all five Great Lakes and many inland lakes and rivers of the Northeast. Tolerates a wide salinity range from fully fresh to 18 ppt; often the dominant species in tidal freshwater sections of Atlantic coast rivers in spring.

Diet

Small fish, shrimp, worms, and aquatic insects; more varied diet than most temperate bass. In spawning runs, white perch can be caught on nearly anything — small jigs, worms, small spinners — reflecting aggressive feeding during high metabolic demand periods.

Fishing Techniques

Best Seasons

Spring, Fall

Size & Records

Average weight: 0.5 lbs. World record: 4.88 lbs (Messalonski Lake, Maine, USA (1949)).