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Name/Relations || Range/Sizes || Habitat & Habits ||  Notes
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Common Name:   White Perch
Other Common Names:  Silver perch, striped perch, white bass
Scientific name:  Morone americana
Family:  Percichthyidae Temporate Basses
Related Species:  White Bass (can hybridize with this species), Yellow Bass, Striped Bass

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Range:  In saltwater from Quebec to South Carolina, including Chesapeake Bay.  Widely introduced in freshwater through out the northeastern and midatlantic US and southern Canada. In freshwater including the Great Lakes (invaded via canals) and its feeder rivers, portions of the Mississippi and Missouri River System (invaded from the Great Lakes)

Sizes:  Up to 4 lbs, common 1/4lb-1lb (6"-12")
 

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Habitat:  In saltwater-estruaries and bays to 60 feet, including feederivers and creeks.  In freshwater overlaps yellow and white bass habitat, and moves widely in loose schools in any body of water it inhabits.  Prefers 50-65 degree water but will range into cooler or warmer water, and will bite under ice.  In freshwater over gravel, rocky, and coarse sand bottoms.

Spawning Habits:  Similar to white bass.  Schools enter creeks and feeder streams or gravelly areas in shallow water in lakes, spawn in spring.  Can hybridize with white bass in lakes and large rivers.

Feeding Habits:  Molluscs (squid, mussels, clams), insects, crustceans (shrimp, crayfish, scuds), worms (earthworms and bloodworms), small minnows, and especially fish eggs (making it a threat to other species such as walleye).
 

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Notes:  While it has proven to hurt populations of walleyes and other fish due to its egg-eating ways, the white perch is a popular ultralight sportfish in the Atlantic, especially in New England and in the northern portions of Chesapeake Bay.   It can be caught year-round and can be caught on many methods used for yellow and white bass, along with baits such as worms (earth- and blood-), clams, squid, and prepared salmon eggs (the same ones used for trout).  It will also take small flies and jigs fished slowly on the bottom.  Due to its small size however, you will need a quite a few if you want a meal.
 
 

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