Not sure that is correct. I believed that was the case until I looked at the 2018-2019 regs. See below. This was taken from page 26. White perch (in inland waters) are a game fish.

Inland Game Fish
The following fishes are designated as inland
game fish:
• Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth and
spotted)
• Crappie (white and black)
• Sunfish
»» Bluegill
»» Redbreast sunfish (robin)
»» Redear sunfish (shellcracker)
»» Pumpkinseed
»» Warmouth
»» Green sunfish
»» Roanoke bass
»» Rock bass
»» Flier
»» All other species of the family Centrarchidae
• Mountain trout (including but not limited to
brook, brown and rainbow trout)
• Kokanee salmon
• Walleye
• Sauger
• Pickerel (chain or “jack”, and redfin)
• Muskellunge
• White bass, in inland waters
• Bodie bass (striped bass hybrid), in inland
waters
• Striped bass, in inland waters
• Shad (American and hickory), in inland waters
• White perch, in inland waters
• Yellow perch, in inland waters
• Spotted sea trout, in inland waters
• Flounder, in inland waters
• Red drum (channel bass, red fish and puppy
drum), in inland waters