Does anyone here know if bass eat White Perch?  I would think that they would, but White perch can lock their fins in place, and they are very spiney.  Also, they can lock their gills out and flare them and poke you.  I would think that bass could swallow them by the head, but I am wondering whether they avoid White Perch and choose to eat forage like Shad.

ever see a bluegill?  sharp fins are not a problem.

The White Perch are worse though.

Sure they do. The bigger bass like them. They have lures that imitate them also.

Thanks, we have some big 1 pound plus White Perch in my favorite lake.  They are just like Bar fish, so the bass must like them.

Does anyone here know if bass eat White Perch?

It would depend on the distance between the two fish :

There isn't any fish you can name, that a bass wouldn't eat.

Roger

I know that I eat white perch. :-)

Egg wash,italian bread crumbs w/ some Bay seasoning,hot oil in a hot  cast iron pan.  mmmmm.

Bass  eatem too...just raw.

Mark

You sure you don't mean yellow perch? White perch are an invasive species, taste like garbage (much like white bass) and commonly become garden fertilizer.  The lakes where I fish are over populated with white bass, I have used a custom painted white bass swim bait with good success, so I would assume white perch would be eaten as well.

The smallies where I fish, eat both white & yellow perch regularly, along with smelt. You can often see the tail section of either species sticking out of their gullets. As a matter of fact, the majority of "bait" we see on the sonar, is perch. We know this because our drop shot baits are being pecked a lot and you occasionally foul hook one. Twice confirmed on the Aqua View as well.

I believe the white perch is a separate, distinct species from white bass. But I could be wrong?

You sure you don't mean yellow perch? White perch are an invasive species, taste like garbage (much like white bass) and commonly become garden fertilizer. The lakes where I fish are over populated with white bass, I have used a custom painted white bass swim bait with good success, so I would assume white perch would be eaten as well.

White perch certainly do not taste like garbage. People around here go out just to go white perch fishing and eat every one of them. They are very good actually.

You sure you don't mean yellow perch? White perch are an invasive species, taste like garbage (much like white bass) and commonly become garden fertilizer. The lakes where I fish are over populated with white bass, I have used a custom painted white bass swim bait with good success, so I would assume white perch would be eaten as well.

Actually, white perch is closer to a delicacy than to garbage.

They're a highly sought brackish water fish, that can tolerate both fresh and salt water.

Every winter they aggregate in Collins Bay, Mullica River, where anglers from far-and-wide

come to fish for white perch through the ice (driving their vehicles right on the brackish ice).

White bass is another super delicious fish. In fact, smallmouth bass and white bass we caught in Lake Erie

were among the best, if not the best tasting fish we've ever eaten.

Maybe it's was due to the waterbody, because you'd be hard pressed to tell one from the other.

Roger

Not trying to hijack the thread, but would it be worth it to try to catch a tiny bluegill and use that as bait as opposed to any artificial lures/worms?

When I wade fish tons of little bluegill swarm around my legs and peck at me so I've though about catching one and putting him on the line. What size would be optimal? They range from 2" - 6" in the shallows where I am

You sure you don't mean yellow perch? White perch are an invasive species, taste like garbage (much like white bass) and commonly become garden fertilizer. The lakes where I fish are over populated with white bass, I have used a custom painted white bass swim bait with good success, so I would assume white perch would be eaten as well.

White perch (and white bass) are great eating. Light,flaky,mild.

We always catch some when we are up to camp as a treat and pan fry them.

Nice story...There are 2 older guys that fish a lake here religiously and deliver 1/2 a cooler (or more) full of white perch often to the less fortunate elder folks that cant get out and are poor.

Pretty cool stuff.

Mark

i love to eat white perch.all i need is some bread and ketchup and its perch sandwich time

Maybe it is just the lakes I fish or something then but the white bass that are commonly caught do not taste good... at all.  The only way I can eat them is pickled.  Maybe I am spoiled as the only fish I regularly  eat are walleye and yellow perch.