Species profile
White Perch
Morone americana
Identify White Perch (Morone americana) from a photo — free, unlimited, no sign-up — with the CatchRules iPhone app. Plus current fishing rules across 13 jurisdictions.
At a glance
White Perch (Morone americana) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 17 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
The strictest bag limit is 6 (Delaware); the most generous is 50 (Pennsylvania).
Across 7 jurisdictions with stated minimum sizes, the average minimum is 8.4 in.
Confirmed by 2,773 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Maryland, Virginia, and New York the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Despite its name, White Perch is not a true perch — it belongs to the temperate bass family Moronidae.
- It can live up to 17 years, making it one of the longer-lived small sport fish.
- White Perch thrive in both saltwater estuaries and freshwater lakes along the eastern seaboard.
- It can hybridize with White Bass, producing fertile offspring where both species co-occur.
- Spring spawning runs pack thousands of fish into small tidal rivers and coastal streams.
Where White Perch are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for White Perch
Background
The white perch (Morone americana) is not a true perch but is, rather, a fish of the temperate bass family, Moronidae, notable as a food and game fish in eastern North America. In some locales it is referred to incorrectly as "silver bass".
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's White Perch article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Frequently asked questions
What is White Perch?
White Perch (Morone americana) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 17 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
What is the scientific name for White Perch?
White Perch is Morone americana.
Is White Perch regulated for fishing?
Yes — White Perch has fishing regulations in 13 U.S. states and/or Canadian provinces tracked by CatchRules. See the "Jurisdictions with rules" section above for the binding-source links.
How can I identify White Perch?
Take a photo with the free CatchRules iPhone app — on-device identification recognizes White Perch along with ~1,500 other species. No sign-up, unlimited use.
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.