Common Name: WHITE PERCH

Other Names: PERCH, SILVER PERCH

Scientific Name: Morone Americana

Origin: Native

Adult Size: Size can vary greatly according to the type of habitat and the density of the perch population. A 6-year old perch can be anywhere from 6 to 12 inches long. The average 8 to 10 inch perch weighs about 0.45 pounds and is about 4 years old.

Identification: The white perch is a spiny-finned fish with large, easily seen scales. The fish is dark gray-green on the back and upper sides and the color gradually changes to silver on the sides below the lateral line to white on the belly. In clear waters, the white perch exhibits a bluish tint on the lower jaw.

White perch are more closely related to striped bass than to any species of fish in our inland waters.

White perch spawn during the month of June, and favor a temperature of 60º F.

A one-pound female will release approximately 150,000 eggs at spawning time.

Eggs have an adhesive disk so that when they sink to the bottom they become permanently fastened to rocks, grass, or debris that they chance to rest upon.

A sudden drop of 4 or 5 degrees in water temperature can wipe out all the eggs deposited!

Lakes, ponds or flowages that have large areas of shallow, fairly warm water produce the fastest growing perch.

White perch are ranked among the first ten as a freshwater game fish and as a food fish they are one of the most palatable.