How to catch White perch

White perch feed in 44–84°F water and bite best at 56–76°F. Fish Scouter's season calendar follows them in 16 waters; in October they are at their peak in The Chesapeake, Delmarva & Delaware Bay, Maryland fresh water and 12 more.

5 pts · trophy at 14"Feeds 44–84°FBest 56–76°FIn season nowChannel edgeDock / pilingsFishing pierOyster barBridgeCreek / streamRiver

About

The Chesapeake's pan fish: a little cousin of the striper in every tidal river and creek, running up to spawn in March and schooling on the points and oyster bars all summer. A Maryland fish fry.

How to fish it

A small spinner or a grass shrimp on a bottom rig along the shoreline points and oyster bars on a moving tide; in March, shad darts in the tidal rivers.

What it eats

grass shrimpbloodwormssmall spinnersshad darts

Live bait for it

Grass shrimpTwo or three on a #6 hook under a small cork — the bream, crappie, sheepshead and mangrove snapper bait nobody sells.

BloodwormsA piece threaded on a #2 to 2/0 hook on a hi-lo or fish-finder rig — the striper, spot, croaker and white perch bait of the Chesapeake and the surf.

Minnows (fatheads, shiners)Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers.