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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
13
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

📦 DNR Stocking History

No stocking records are on file for White Perch.

This is common for several reasons: this species may reproduce naturally and not require stocking (e.g. Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike), it may be managed under a different program not tracked here, or records may predate our database. For the most current data, check the Michigan DNR Stocking Database directly.

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📋 Quick Facts

🔗 Resources

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