Perch family: Members of the perch family are fresh water only and include yellow perch, walleye, sauger and a few darter minnows. What some stagers call white perch are part of the...

Help Loc: Green Bay WI

Members of the perch family are fresh water only and include yellow perch, walleye, sauger and a few darter minnows. What some stagers call white perch are part of the fresh water bass family like white and yellow bass, small mouth and large mouth in general. A few white perch made it into the Great Lakes but thankfully didn’t fare well.

TooMuch Loc: NE Alabama

So do these 'white perch' have a different name in the bass family?

I've noticed that the bodies of both the white and yellow or/and barred perch look identical with exception of color.

White bass are definitely identified different from hybrid and yellow bass. Although the bodies are very similar, almost if not identical.

I ask solely for informational purposes only. Not trying to stir a pot.

Jim Kay Loc: Franklin, Virginia

Help wrote:

Members of the perch family are fresh water only and include yellow perch, walleye, sauger and a few darter minnows. What some stagers call white perch are part of the fresh water bass family like white and yellow bass, small mouth and large mouth in general. A few white perch made it into the Great Lakes but thankfully didn’t fare well.

They have adapted well to mid-Atlantic and Southern waters.

Jim Kay Loc: Franklin, Virginia

The white perch is a "Temperate Bass" related to Striped Bass,and White Bass. Hybrid striped Bass, Wipers and similar crosses are bred from Striped Bass.

TooMuch Loc: NE Alabama

Jim Kay wrote:

The white perch is a "Temperate Bass" related to Striped Bass,and White Bass. Hybrid striped Bass, Wipers and similar crosses are bred from Striped Bass.

Thank you Mr. Kay. I've never known. Probably why the white perch moniker stuck.
Next question will be do the temperate Bass taste more like the bass family or the perch? In my kitchen almost all fish taste like butter, garlic, and tartar sauce wrapped in a cornmeal crust!

nutz4fish Loc: Colchester, CT

Help wrote:

Members of the perch family are fresh water only and include yellow perch, walleye, sauger and a few darter minnows. What some stagers call white perch are part of the fresh water bass family like white and yellow bass, small mouth and large mouth in general. A few white perch made it into the Great Lakes but thankfully didn’t fare well.

Help.... I believe SM & LM "bass" are actually in the sunfish family, and not related to true bass. Not worth bothering over though, just catch 'em and if you like to, eat 'em.

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

nutz4fish wrote:

Help.... I believe SM & LM "bass" are actually in the sunfish family, and not related to true bass. Not worth bothering over though, just catch 'em and if you like to, eat 'em.

I like the yellow perch and a nice sized sunny to eat, I can't say that I'm big on any of the others mentioned above.

charlykilo Loc: Garden Valley Ca

nutz4fish wrote:

Help.... I believe SM & LM "bass" are actually in the sunfish family, and not related to true bass. Not worth bothering over though, just catch 'em and if you like to, eat 'em.

The way I learned also.

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

nutz4fish wrote:

Help.... I believe SM & LM "bass" are actually in the sunfish family, and not related to true bass. Not worth bothering over though, just catch 'em and if you like to, eat 'em.

So true, but they are still legally named smallmouth and largemouth bass in fishing regulations of (I believe) all states. It is like a bluegill. A bluegill is a sunfish, but it is still a bluegill or a crappie is a sunfish, but it is still a crappie.

UncleRob Loc: NE Maryland

There's not a whole hell of a lot better eating than a White perch. I'm going to try for some Walleye this winter to see how they are. I've only caught 1 Yellow perch and it was good.

nutz4fish Loc: Colchester, CT

bapabear wrote:

So true, but they are still legally named smallmouth and largemouth bass in fishing regulations of (I believe) all states. It is like a bluegill. A bluegill is a sunfish, but it is still a bluegill or a crappie is a sunfish, but it is still a crappie.

bapa... Agreed.

Jim Kay Loc: Franklin, Virginia

TooMuch wrote:

Thank you Mr. Kay. I've never known. Probably why the white perch moniker stuck.
Next question will be do the temperate Bass taste more like the bass family or the perch? In my kitchen almost all fish taste like butter, garlic, and tartar sauce wrapped in a cornmeal crust!

White Perch taste like a small White Bass.

Jim Kay Loc: Franklin, Virginia

bapabear wrote:

So true, but they are still legally named smallmouth and largemouth bass in fishing regulations of (I believe) all states. It is like a bluegill. A bluegill is a sunfish, but it is still a bluegill or a crappie is a sunfish, but it is still a crappie.

Well put bapabear.