White Perch Details

• Water Type: anadromous
• Latin Name: Morone Americana
• Common Names: Narrow-mouthed Bass, Sea Perch
• Water Temp: 52-61 degrees
• World Record: 3lb-1oz Forest Hill Park, NJ May 6, 1989 Edward Tango
• Last Modified By: bmbassachusetts on 08/14/16 10:45 AM
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Despite its common name, the white perch is actually a bass and a close relative of the white bass and the striped bass, Morone Saxatilis. It is smaller, shorter, and stockier than the striped bass, but it is very similar in appearance to the white bass. The most noticeable difference is that the white perch lacks the stripes that are present on both of the other species.

The white perch is far more coastal in occurrence than the white bass and most of the overlap in their distributions occurs in the area of the Great Lakes and upper St. Lawrence River. The white perch is variable in coloration, ranging from pale olive or silvery green on the sides and silvery white on the belly to a much darker tone with a little hint of silver, especially in inland freshwater specimens. As a food and game fish, it rates very high.

The White Perch originally ranged in salt, brackish and fresh waters. It has been successfully introduced and has become established in many New Hampshie waters. They travel in schools and are found in abundance in brackish bays, mouths of rivers and muddy ponds which are accessible from the sea. In lakes and ponds it prefers shallow mud-bottom areas. They feed mainly om baitfish and insects. In salt-water, it's diet consists of crabs, shrimp, small squid and fish fry. Feeding takes place primarily in early evening. It is an easy fish to catch and will take nearly any kind of bait. Worms, minnows, flies and spoons are all effective and best results are when fishing at dusk when schools of feeding fish move into the shallows near shore. The White Perch is an excellent fighting fish for it's size and is a real treat to catch on light tackle. It is very tasty eating although slightly bony. Seldome exceeding 2 pounds in weight, the average White Perch of NH is 6-10 inches and less than 0.5 pound.

-New Hampshire State Record is 3 lbs 11.5 oz, measuring 17.2 inches caught at Lake Winnipesaukee in Moultonborough in 1986.

-Massachusetts State Record is 3 lbs 2 oz caught by Ray Richford in 1994 at Wachusett Reservoir

-Connecticut State Record is 2 lbs 15 oz caught by Don Loftus, Jr. in 1996 at Candlewood Lake, New Fairfield