White Perch ⚠ Invasive

🔬 Morone americana

A silvery, spiny-rayed fish originally from Atlantic coastal waters. Accidentally established in all five Great Lakes and spreading inland via bait buckets and connected waterways. Often confused with white bass but smaller and lacking the lateral stripes. An unwanted competitor for native yellow perch and walleye.

0.5-1.5 lbs, 8-12 inches

Typical size

3 lbs 12 oz

Michigan record

Spring, Summer, Fall

Best season

Listed lakes

🛡 Conservation Status

⚠ Invasive Native to the Atlantic coast. Accidentally entered the Great Lakes and now established in all five. Spreading into Michigan inland lakes through bait-bucket releases and connected waterways. Competes with yellow perch and smallmouth bass for food and aggressively eats eggs of walleye, yellow perch, and other native species. Report new sightings to MDNR.

🌿 Habitat & Behavior

Great Lakes, connecting rivers, and increasingly in inland Michigan lakes. Tolerates a wide range of conditions. Schools aggressively in open water and moves into rivers to spawn in spring.

🎣 Best Techniques

Small jigs, spinners, and live minnows under a float. Aggressive and easy to catch. Do NOT transport live white perch -- this aids their spread.

🌊 Where to Catch in Michigan

Lake	County	Population	Notes
Burt Lake 17,120 acres	Cheboygan	Good	Invasive -- do not transport live
Cass Lake 1,280 acres	Oakland	Good	Invasive -- do not transport live
Charlevoix Lake 17,260 acres	Charlevoix	Good	Invasive -- do not transport live
Cheboygan Lake 640 acres	Cheboygan	Good	Invasive -- do not transport live
Indian Lake 8,689 acres	Schoolcraft	Good	Invasive -- do not transport live
Lake Fenton 937 acres	Genesee	Good	Invasive -- do not transport live
Lake Gogebic 13,380 acres	Gogebic	Good	Invasive -- do not transport live
Lake Leelanau 8,562 acres	Leelanau	Good	Invasive -- do not transport live
Lake St. Clair 260,000 acres	Macomb	Good	Invasive -- do not transport live
Manistee Lake 930 acres	Manistee	Good	Invasive -- do not transport live
Mullett Lake 16,630 acres	Cheboygan	Good	Invasive -- do not transport live
Muskegon Lake 4,150 acres	Muskegon	Good	Invasive -- do not transport live
Muskegon Lake 4,150 acres	Muskegon	Good	Invasive -- do not transport live

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📋 Quick Facts

Common name: White Perch
Scientific name: Morone americana
Typical size: 0.5-1.5 lbs, 8-12 inches
Michigan record: 3 lbs 12 oz
Best season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Status: ⚠ Invasive
Listed in: 13 Michigan lakes

🔗 Resources

📖 DNR Sport Fishing Guide 📋 DNR Stocking Database 🐟 All Fish Species 🎣 MDNR Sport Fishing 🔬 MDNR Fish ID Guide 🎣 Log a catch