Conference wahoo::fishing-v2

Pound for pound, white perch are one of the best fighting fish that can be 
found.  A 2-3 pounder will give you lots of fun, on the par of a similar 
sized smallie.  They're also a great eating fish.

I've caught them using Mepps type spinners and small Rappalas.  Another good 
method is to troll small Colorado spinners with a worm on a #4 hook.

Enjoy!

 You can catch the whole school with a few nightcrawlers. Once you find the
right depth, you just lower a piece of nightcrawler down to them and they'll
fight over it. Some people will mark the school by putting a balloon rig
on a freshly caught fish and releasing it. It will quickly rejoin the school,
and the balloon will mark the school's movements. That's like stealing though.
Once you find them they are extremely easy to catch. They give a nice fight, and
are alleged to be tasty.

no alleged about it.  great eating.  BTW, the balloon trick works on all 
schooling fish and is used on mackerel in the ocean.

Tim

    Is that balloon trick legal on fresh water in N.H.???
    
                                Jeff (Captain)
                                Team Starcraft

 The Freshwater Guide does not mention the practice, so I believe it is fine.
Just make sure you retrieve the balloon and mono...

    Well, "ballooning" is not expressly prohibited by MA law, according to
    the experts at MA F&W.
    
    Mod, maybe there should be a White Perch topic?
    
    John H-C

     
    does anybody know how to catch CUSK....
    i hear there mighty tasty................

    re: .6
    
    "Ballooning" is indeed expressly forbidden under MA law, according to
    the Environmental Police, whom I called after Fisheries & Wildlife
    referred me to them for an answer to my question about ballooning.
    
    It is know and "Float & Toggle Fishing" (or was that "Float &
    Tackle?"), and I think you *will* find that expressly forbidden.
    
    FWIW
    
    John H-C 

	It's been a long time since I caught one but it was a 15lb fish
	from a party boat.  We were fishing for Cod/Haddock on the bottom
	way off out of the Merrimcak River.  We were using Clams or
	Jigging with Large Norway jig's.  The Clam rigs were a double
	hook arrangement with a heavy lead weight 10oz? or so??? at the
	bottom with a hook about 18" from the weight and another
	hook 18" from that one.

		| Mono or Dacron line or even wire line if not crowded on boat
		|
		[] swivel
		|
		|----------J Hook with Clam bait
		|
		| Mono line
		|
		|-----------J  Hook with Clam bait
		|
		|
		|
		O Lead Weight Sinker
	I was going to through it away as it was half eel/fish but was told
	to keep it.  It won the biggest fish of day pool so paid for my trip.
	-< Tuna Tail >-

<    "Ballooning" is indeed expressly forbidden under MA law, according to
<    the Environmental Police, whom I called after Fisheries & Wildlife
<    referred me to them for an answer to my question about ballooning.
<    
<    It is know and "Float & Toggle Fishing" (or was that "Float &
<    Tackle?"), and I think you *will* find that expressly forbidden.

John,

   Are you sure the F & G people you talked to knew that the "ballooning"
you were talking about was a means to help locate fish and not a means of
catching fish?

   It's been a while since I fished in Ma, but as I recall the rule book was
very specific about setting out an unattended float to which you attached a
bait and expected to 'catch' a fish.  This type rig is sold in the PRO SHOPS
catalog as a "YO BOB" and is basically a free floating trot-line.  It is less
clear to me that attaching a balloon to a fish you have already caught via
legal means is also forbidden, (one presumes you could not use a hook to attach
the balloon).  In that case you are using one fish to help you mark the
location of other fish which you will also attempt to catch via legal means.

  "Gee officer, the first fish I caught this morning broke off the line just
above the bobber, and I've been chasing him around all day trying to get it
back. He just keeps swimmin' off with his friends.  I've been catching all
his buddies, but that one pulling the bobber around just won't bite again." 

Al

    Yeah, Al, I am quite sure the F&W folks as well as the DEP folks knew
    exactly what I was talking about. In the case of the F&W folks, they
    asked me to describe it twice. The DEP folks didn't even hesitate. They
    said, "Tagging any fish to indicate where to catch others, white perch,
    yellow perch, or anything, is illegal." The guy then went on to say a
    few other things that aren't worth remembering, except that they had
    something to do with how low his opinion was of the F&W people who are
    supposed to protect these habitats and their inhabitants.
    
    John H-C
    

"Float & Toggle" illegal in sweet water only or salt too?

Tim

    I don't know, Tim, I was talking to the "inland" folks in Lancaster. A
    call to the DMF would clear that one up, I think.

I believe that the name White Perch is a misnomer. The fish does not
belong to the perch species. It's a bass. 

And great fun too. Try some left overs, maybe a strip of steak impaled on a hook.
It worked, really.!

My 4 yr old son loves to catch these, and it offers him a chance to feel a good 
fight.

/j

    Are these the same as "sheep heads" or "sheep something"?  I caught one
    in my local lake and it gave me one hell of a fight.  It dam near broke
    my reel.   When I pulled it in I didn't recognize it so I looked it up
    in my trusty fish book and the white perch was the only match.  One
    hell of a fight so I'm not supprised it a member of the bass fam.
    
    Are they any good to eat?
    
    Rick
    

    re: .14
    
    Actually, "White Perch" (aka Morone americana) and "White Bass" 
    (aka Morone chrysops) *are* two different fish, though they are 
    indeed both members of the "Temperate Bass" (aka Percichthyidae) 
    group of fishes.
    
    The White Perch is a schooling fish that can be freshwater only or 
    anadromous. It is known to hybridize with Striped Bass (aka Morone 
    saxatilis), which can also be freshwater only as well as anadromous. 
    The White Perch is primarily an insect eater, though it does sometimes 
    take fish.
    
    The White Bass, on the other hand, is a "gregarious" rather than 
    a "schooling" fish and is freshwater only. It is known to hybridize 
    with the Yellow Bass (aka Morone mississippiensis). The White Bass 
    is primarily a fish eater.
    
    
    re: 15
    
    Yes, the White Perch is said to be excellent table fare. 
    No, they are completely different from the Sheepshead, which I think is
    a freshwater Drum.... There is some discussion about the Sheepshead
    elsewhere in this conference. (Maybe the Zebra Mussel topic?)
    
    John H-C
                                                                 

    white perch make great eating
    
    While smelt fishing (thur the ice) we'll occasionally catch lots of
    them in the tidal water.
    
    Winnipesaukee has HUGE schools of white perch.  I've caught them from
    time to time while fishing for smallmouth.
    
    I'd like to spend some time and learn how to locate/catch them on
    Winni.  While pre-fsihing for bass tournaments during the spring 
    I'll ocassionally see incredible numbers of white perch - but I'm
    in bass mode and don't pay them much mind.  If I knew I could go
    up there and find and catch them I'd fill up the livewell a few 
    times a year with them.
    
    -donmac

I agree that white perch are excellent table fare.  They also make a great
chowder.

I've caught a couple of white perch in the 2-3lb range on Winnie and they 
put up a great fight. Ultralight tackle is the way to go.

I suspect the best way to find out where they school is to check some of 
the local bait/tackel shops for info.

-HSJ-

    	As an aside to the size of the White Perch, I've seen them get over
    4 lbs. I just wish we knew it was a record before we ate it :-(
    
    	RAYJ

    You know, I wanted to say that that fish must of weighed close to
    4 lbs. but I figured you guys would think it was another fish story.
    Are they any good to eat? They put up a pretty good fight. We caught a
    couple smaller ones after the big one (1.5 lbs.) and they put up a
    better fight than Lakers twice their size. Strong fish!!!!
    
    Bob M�

They are *excellent* to eat.  Small ones are a pain to clean, but
anyone over about 8 inches is always good to eat!

 It's been claimed that a world record white perch is likely to come from
NH waters. I can believe it; I once caught one that was a little over 3 lbs,
and that was 15 years ago!

 They do fight like hell for their size. Good eatin', too.

    
    
    		The white perch in some Maine lakes are huge.
    
    	We caught a few "large" ones 3+ or more lbs last year
    
    	on Little Ossippee . The first one pulled like hell and
    	
    	looked like a Hybrid Striper down about 8 feet. After 
    
    	finding them it seemed they ran in a large school, cause
    	
    	every time we threw (grubs) in the same area we hooked one.
    
    
    					Nice fish.
    
    
    
    					Neil.
    

    I'm going to move some of the white perch specific entries from the 
    wice derby note to here, so we can contunue the discussion here.
    
    -donmac
    
    (putting on long lost mod hat for a sec)

    	I'll second or third the part about good eating (at least the
    brackish water ones anyway). Given the choice between smelt or white
    perch, my wife and kids will take the white perch every time. That's OK
    with me as it leaves more smelt for me ;-)
    
    	RAYJ

    Does anybody want to share their recipes? Do you fillet them or just
    gut them? Now that I found out how much fun they are to catch I just
    may return to try and catch some more........ We released all the
    others we caught during the Derby
    
    Thanks,
    Bob M�

    I fillet white perch, sweat meat.  My wife and kids prefer the white
    perch too.
    
    I've also caught one in the 3lb range while bass fishing on winni.
    
    Would love to know how to go up there and fill up the livewell with
    them, but I'm always too busy fishing for smallies when I'm up there.
    
    I've seen huge school of them cruising the shallow sandy flats on winni 
    during the spring.
    
    -donmac

>    Would love to know how to go up there and fill up the livewell with
>    them, but I'm always too busy fishing for smallies when I'm up there.

 Nothing could be easier. They kill pieces of nightcrawler. Find the school
(usually suspended above the thermocline) and you're in like flint. You can
hardly keep them out of the boat. :-) I find them to be one of the most
predictable kinds of fish, but I had a lot of experience fishing them at
Winnisquam as a kid. When the school was within casting distance (right after
supper, usually) I'd nail them consistently. Wish I could do the same
with trout. :-)

    	I fillet them and usually pan fry they in butter/oil after dipping 
    them into seasoned flour. My recipes are usually thrown together at a
    whim (not very scientific ;-) but I usually put garlic powder, paprika,
    season salt, pepper, parsley, and a little cinnamin in the flour to season 
    it. 
    
    	If you like, you can leave out the cinnamin and squeeze a lemon or
    a lime over the fillets as you cook them. Depends I guess what you're
    in the mood for. For whatever reason, I have better success using flour
    on fish rather than breadcrumbs or corn meal.
    
    	If you prefer a batter, just add an egg and some milk to the
    seasoned flour mixture. I have a family of five so I usually start with
    about 2 cups of flour. Use the milk to get the consistancy right (i.e.
    like a soupy pancake batter consistancy).
    
    	I do have one recipe that I tried and liked from a book once for an
    old-fashioned English style fish and chips recipe. I don't remember the
    ingredients exactly, but it's basically a batter with about 2 cups
    of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, 2 
    tablespoons of dill weed, salt, pepper, and then add beer until the 
    batter consisistancy is correct. I did not forget an egg. There is none 
    called for with this batter.
    
    	When using a batter, the fish is done when the batter is golden
    brown. The above recipe is traditionally served with malt vinegar. 
    
    	In case it isn't readily apparent, I usually cook the fish at my
    house ;-)
    
    	RAYJ
    	

    
    re: finding the school
    
    sounds like that could be the hard part... winni is a big lake 8^)
    
    I know I've seen them in large schools in shallow water in the early
    spring, I think they do this prior to spawning, do they normally prefer 
    a certain depth?  (My NH warmwater fishes book would probably tell me). 
    
    If they're in deep water I can chart them on the paper graph,
    thermocline too for that matter.
    
    Maybe I'll make a habit of bringing along my ultralight and some
    nightcrawlers when I venture up to winni this spring.
    
    Maybe I'll being 'the doc' along with me, to show me the ropes...
    
    -donmac

    I've seen guys fishing for them in the spring around the smaller
    islands and inlets off of Long Island. I never paid much attention be-
    cause I thought they were just a little junk fish..........
    
    I've changed my mind
    Bob M� 
    
    p.s. Thanks for the recipes so far. My usual cooking of fish is a
    fillet with some butter, salt and pepper on the grill. I've never
    tried pan frying.......
    

>    sounds like that could be the hard part... winni is a big lake 8^)
 
 I'll take you to Winnisquam instead. After we're tired of reeling in
white perch, we'll head to the south end of the lake and work on smallies. :-)

    
    Where in Mass. would there be a good place to catch these white
    perch?  (Water clean enough to eat the fish preferred...)
    
    ALD
    

    In Mass, the best place that I can think of is Wachusett Resevoir. I
    believe the new state record of 3lbs + came out of there last year.
    The only problem is they can be tough to locate without a boat.
    
    Bring your sneakers.........
    (bug spray too.......)
    Bob M�