White perch
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Small ones are netted with shad sometimes. Larger ones may be used for catfish or bass bait. Some people bucket stock on purpose, thinking it will help (idiots!). There are also some storm spillages and they do slowly get from place to place naturally. They were mostly a coastal river fish to begin with, but their natural range does extend into the Piedmont.
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My knowledge is on the Catawba chain definitely not "bucket stock" they showed up on every body of water from Rhodhiss to Wylie at the same time and grew enough to overwhelm the white bass population on each lake in a matter of a few years.
I asked a Wildlife Officer that used to patrol the Catawba in Burke county about the "dirty looking white bass" we were catching. He told us that they were indeed white perch being introduced to Hickory and that we could expect them to grow to 2 pounds with an average of 3/4's of a pound.
Darrell
I asked a Wildlife Officer that used to patrol the Catawba in Burke county about the "dirty looking white bass" we were catching. He told us that they were indeed white perch being introduced to Hickory and that we could expect them to grow to 2 pounds with an average of 3/4's of a pound.
Darrell
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Here is the NCWRC info on the species:
http://www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0/Fishing/documents/White_perch_profile.pdf
Note that they say they were introduced into the Piedmont reservoirs and that they can overwhelm small lakes. IMO they can overwhelm big ones also. I wonder what SH is considered.
2 lb 15 oz state record, 3 lb 1 oz world record. I have not see an average of 3/4 lb anywhere I have caught them. I have seen some that big, but the average has been below a half pound. Maybe if you use a decent size Rattle Trap or similar the average will be higher, but on 2" twisty tail grubs (my go to) I catch a lot of small ones.
http://www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0/Fishing/documents/White_perch_profile.pdf
Note that they say they were introduced into the Piedmont reservoirs and that they can overwhelm small lakes. IMO they can overwhelm big ones also. I wonder what SH is considered.
2 lb 15 oz state record, 3 lb 1 oz world record. I have not see an average of 3/4 lb anywhere I have caught them. I have seen some that big, but the average has been below a half pound. Maybe if you use a decent size Rattle Trap or similar the average will be higher, but on 2" twisty tail grubs (my go to) I catch a lot of small ones.
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http://www.ncwildlife.org/Fishing/HatcheriesStocking/NCWRCStocking.aspx
Look at the warmwater stocking summary. Look at District 8. 30,000 white bass.
Look at the warmwater stocking summary. Look at District 8. 30,000 white bass.
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Yup; 1" - 2". I am not an expert, but that sounds like a low percentage game when they have adult walleye and perch that feast on fish that size. They also stock walleye that size.
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I was just looking at regs on another topic and noticed this new regulation:
Sounds like they want them gone now also...
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IMO the only reason Falls still has White bass is because they travel farther up stream and spawn over a larger area because there is no dam to hold them back. On the Catawba/Yadkin chain all the white perch had to do was move up to the dam and feast on Bass eggs when they had to stop there to spawn. The rest of the fish guard there beds.
Darrell
Darrell
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They showed up a few years ago at HPCL. I hate them too, and encourage catch and fillet on this species.
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Yep they're good to eat and good for bait, make a blessing from the curse.
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Table fare . Share the wealth . I enjoy practicing food ..few time a year we go for the freezer stock parties . White perch eat well and make good bait and school . Easy to get a lot of them
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EvBlue and I got there right at the end of one of the blitzes yesterday and caught a few. We could see the water boiling and splashing from quite a ways off and paddled as quickly as we could over to it. If they would get bigger on average I would be happier with their continued presence, but what we were catching was at the low end of edible size. Still fun on light tackle.
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It reminded me of the striper blitz I was lucky enough to be in at Lanier (in GA) one time. That was crazy! Dead calm and then all of sudden it sounded like it was raining bowling balls all around us. The perch blitz was not quite like that, but reminded me of it. And it did feel good to get over to it and then immediately hook up. For a few minutes, it felt like we knew what we were doing... 
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but we took no pictures, so maybe it never happened and there is no need for anyone to go out there looking for the blitzing fish, or eagles, otters (so I was told by a canoeist that got really close to one, but I thought I heard a tail slap) or herons that we must not have seen either...
probably also no truth to the rumor that the bluegill fishing near the banks is pretty good.
a plastic worm got picked up a few times but no hook up; bass are being caught (or at least a couple of power boaters I spoke with said they had caught a couple) but it isn't exactly on fire right now.
probably also no truth to the rumor that the bluegill fishing near the banks is pretty good.
a plastic worm got picked up a few times but no hook up; bass are being caught (or at least a couple of power boaters I spoke with said they had caught a couple) but it isn't exactly on fire right now.
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There were furry critters swimming around us; just didn't want to say for sure what they were when I never got closer than maybe 25 or 30 yards. Besides, I have no proof I was ever there at all...
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