Anybody like the lowly perch?

[mikeym1a]

Back when Mom was alive, she asked for a pond in the hollow where the old chicken house was. Pop got a dozer to come in, and scrape out a goodly sized pond, 1/3-1/2 acre, when it filled. He then went up to our neighbor, who he had bought the land from, years before, and they went to the old run-off pond in his hollow. Over the years it has pretty much filled in. It was there for the cows to get a drink if I forgot to water them. Pop produced a seine net from somewhere and proceeded to catch a bunch of minnows. Mighty small fish, I thought. He took and dumped them in the pond. The pond finally filled about 2 years later, and he decided to go fishing. Us kids were all surprised at the size of the Sun Perch he pulled out of the pond. We had perch on a regular basis. I really enjoyed them. Mom was a great cook. One day my brother reeled in a small-mouthed bass, about 8" long. We were amazed. Even pop was surprised. Don't know where that came from, nor do I know if there were any more. We fished the pond regularly. Any perch we pulled out of the pond that were too small for the pan became 'cat fish'. We had happy and well fed barn cats. Mom died about 6 years later, and when pop remarried, his new wife refused to live in 'her' house, so he sold the place. Too bad. I do so like perch.

[grumman581]

Used to fish for white perch a lot when I was a kid. Not that exciting of a fish to catch, but they were one of the better tasting fish to my recollection. Come to think of it, I think I liked them better than the large-mouth bass that everyone else preferred to catch. Wasn't that crazy about bream fish that we had back then since they were so small that after you filleted them, there wasn't much left.

For a good fighting fish, I preferred the alligator gars, but we did not eat them. They got big and could be rather interesting on light tackle. We would just give them to some of the older blacks that we knew who liked to make "gar balls" out of them.

[LeftyDon]

Perch is one of my favorite fish. When I was a kid we had access to a private lake that was full of jumbo perch. We ate a bunch of messes of them just cleaning them and dipping in Drakes mix. Dad decided one day to fillet some of the biggest ones. Guess what... They were full of grubs just under the skin. It's kind of gross, I guess, but they were still some of the best tasting fish I've ever had.

I've seen grubs in perch and bluegills like that myself.

[johnson1942]

one year up in northern minn the only thing that was biting was perch. my son and i become experts at it so that every one was coming to us to ask how to catch them. 13 and 15 inchers. man were they fun to catch and did they taste good. better than walleye.

[DerekP Houston]

we call em sunfish or bluegills, but they are fun to catch and tasty no matter what size you get. They school around the marina's a lot and are fun for the kids.

[srtolly]

I live catching perch, one of the best tasting fish in ever had. Sunfish and crappie are usually caught with them. Walleye the usual fare in here in Minnesota but I like the perch, crappie and sunfish.

[Sean357]

Had never even heard of them till moving up to SW Montana 2 yrs ago, now it's all I really want to fish for. Great on the BBQ or deep fried, cleanest tasting fish I've ever had other than fresh caught Alaskan halibut. My wife hates fish and even she will eat these. Plus they fight like mad so it's pretty fun.

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[TCLouis]

There are the bream/brim, bluegill, redear, long ear etc, then the perch many here are talking about also known as yellow, or ring perch, but mostly just perch in many places.

[dave524]

There are 2 perches, the Yellow Perch is about the finest eating freshwater fish, the White Perch not so much.

[old woody]

I like to "ice um down" as soon as caught, then pan fried. Nothing better !!!!

[bruce drake]

There are 2 perches, the Yellow Perch is about the finest eating freshwater fish, the White Perch not so much.

Both Yellow and White Perch taste good but its all in how you prepare them that makes the difference.

[PaulG67]

Pickled perch is wonderful.

[GoodOlBoy]

Love perch, love catching them, love eating them. Bluegill are my favorite! Bronze aberdeen long shank cricket hook, little hunk of worm about 1/4" long, and toss it in a creek. That bobber will be under before you can blink good!

God Bless, and One Love.

GoodOlBoy

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Used to catch surf perch along the Calif. coast. Excellent eating. Best caught off a breakwater or some other place that when the surf came in the water remained deeper than it does on the beach. Used mussels for bait.

[quilbilly]

The lake just half a mile down the road from our place (Lake Leland) has loads of yellow perch. Better eating than the hatchery trout any day and I don't even have to launch the boat. The county did a nice job this winter fixing up the campground next to the launch and fishing pier so anybody traveling this way should check it out. Of course, you are required to visit us.

[54bore]

I've seen grubs in perch and bluegills like that myself.

I have seen them in Large mouth bass as well

[psweigle]

Yellow perch is also known as the "poor mans walleye"! I think they taste so close that if served together I can't tell them apart. I find that the perch are easier to catch.

[swheeler]

Perch, the walleyes first cousin, wonder why they named them pike? I love perch, good eating.

[TCLouis]

I could easily be mistaken, but I think there is only one lake in Tennessee with perch.
I do not know how they would do if they were in other waters.
I am thinking there would be a lot of competition for them in that niche.

[w5pv]

Don't let the secret out or you will have the sportsman taking over the perch holes.lol