Paul McKeown and Eileen C. Stegemann. Third in a 14-part series describing the Freshwater Fishes of New York . The true perch of New York State include some of the best tasting and most popular freshwater fishes. As a family, they are widely distributed, adaptable to a wide range of habitats, and fun to catch on rod and reel. In addition, the less known members of the perch family, the darters, are probably the most colorful freshwater fish in North America.
True perch are spiny-rayed fish which have one or more sharp spines on their fins.
The Larger Perches Yellow perch, walleye, and sauger are larger perches that prefer the water of large streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes. Popular gamefish, they are prized by anglers not only for their scrappy nature, but for their delicious taste, as well. The largest members of New York State's perch family, walleye, can exceed ten pounds. Walleye are the first to spawn, followed by yellow perch, and then sauger. Adults migrate into tributary streams or the shallows of lakes and randomly release their eggs over the bottom.