Thread: El Dorado 5/17/2014

Originally Posted by DRFISHDUCK

...tried for 1 more but kept getting dinky white bass and 1 drum instead.

DRFISHDUCK,

Those "dinky white bass" very well could have been white perch, an aquatic nuisance species that is very common in El Dorado Reservoir. You can find a fish identification poster at the KDWPT website by clicking HERE. White perch must be killed when caught. Obviously this makes identification quite important as killing young white bass or wipers would not be good for those populations!

A quick and easy way to ID a white perch is to look at the area between the spiny and soft dorsal fins on the back of the fish. If the the two fins are CONNECTED then it is a white perch. If the spiny dorsal of a white perch is pulled forward then the sort dorsal will also be pulled up due to the connection between the two. If there is no direct connection between the two fins then the fish is either a white bass or a wiper.

If you did indeed catch many young white bass then I apologize for wasting your time with this additional info. El Dorado is currently quite low on white bass, especially small/young white bass, as the spawn has been less than productive the last couple of years with the droughty conditions.

Here's a picture of a white perch (top) and white bass (bottom).



Another pic of a white perch, notice the difference in body shape as white perch have the 'tallest' part of their body closer to their heads than do the white bass.


This pic shows a close up view of the membrane connection between the spiny and soft dorsal fins of a WHITE PERCH.


This pic shows a close up view of NO membrane connection between the spiny and soft dorsal fins of a WHITE BASS (looks similar in wipers).


More information on white perch can be found HERE.

One of the most important items with white perch is DO NOT move any live white perch from El Dorado!!! We do not want these fish showing up in any new waters!

Congratulations on a nice walleye!

good fish!