White Perch
by Capt Gus Gustafson

Each year about this time white perch gather offshore in large schools on Lake Norman and other Piedmont Lakes. It’s easy for anglers to catch all the fish they want in a matter of a few hours. Reports of boats catching one, two and three hundred perch per trip are not a stretch of the imagination. If you are interested in hauling in a ton of fish that are fun to catch and good to eat, read on.

White perch are ocean fish that thrive in freshwater environments. No one is quite sure how, but some years back these feisty fighters were introduced to Lake Norman. Today there are so many that some fear they will take over the lake. They multiply so quickly that the NC Wildlife Resources Commission has elected not to impose a size or creel limit on this little cousin to the striped bass. You can keep all the perch you catch, regardless of size.

White perch shouldn't be confused with yellow perch, a pan fish popular with northern anglers. Yellow perch have green and yellow bands that encircle its cylindrical body. The white perch is silver, no stripes and resembles a white bass. The two are similar in that they swim in schools and are easy to catch from shore or boat on light fishing tackle.

White perch are easy to locate. They can be found near boat docks/piers, around brush piles and in the deeper water of narrow coves. Big schools are easy to locate with a fish finder, but drifting a line near the bottom is a time proven method that also produces nice catches. If you find fish below the boat, anchor and fish the area thoroughly.

Otherwise, move on until you begin to get bites.
In hot weather, perch stay deep during the day with larger ones found at depths to fifty feet. At night they migrate toward the shore and often swim around lighted docks and piers. Don’t be surprised if a rod doubles down while reeling in what you thought was a perch. They are often the prey of big bass, stripers and flatheads, and it is not unlikely that you hooked the larger fish that has eaten the perch.

Best baits are small shiny spoons, jigs and deep diving lures fished closer to the lake bottom than the surface. Live minnows, small pieces of cut bait and worms attached to a small hook and light sinker, are very popular with bank and boat dock fishermen.

When feeding schools are found, the Sabiki Rig is, by far, the best lure combination. Anglers catch multiple fish each time the rig is dropped to the bottom. To make a Sabiki Rig, attach a string of small flies (two to six flies) in tandem with a jigging spoon (3/4 ounce), and attach to the terminal end of the line. It is best fished vertically near the bottom or slightly above the school in a yo-yo like motion. Sabiki’s are sold pre-tied in packages at area tackle shops.

The white meat of the perch is tasty, so keep as many as you want for a fish fry. Scale the small ones, remove the head and entrails, then batter and fry. Larger fish are easily filleted, skinned and prepared as you would a striper or crappie.

Tip from Capt. Gus: Care should be taken when unhooking a white perch. The fins and gills have sharp spines that flare out as you attempt to hold them. It is best to handle them from the belly side where you’ll find fewer spines.

Captain Gus Gustafson of Lake Norman Ventures, Inc. is a member of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association and a full time Professional Fishing Guide on Lake Norman, NC. Visit his web site, Fishin' with Gus! at www.FishingWithGus.com, or call 704 617 6812. For additional information, e-mail him at Gus@lakenorman.com.