Thread: Are there any crappie left in Sooner?

Back when I worked at the power plant, there were some brush piles in the discharge area that held a lot of crappie, but as the years went by, fewer and fewer were caught. It could have been the brush piles deteriorated, or the combo of zebra mussles, and white perch. The hybrids and black bass looked like they were starving with sunken bellies, but the stripers always looked healthy.
I guess a person is going to learn white perch fishing and fish for them like they do up around the Great Lakes. No limit, so if they are aggressive feeders, a live well full of them should produce plenty of fillets.

They tell me a small 1/32nd or 1/64th ounce jig with a piece of minnow or worm on it will kill them and they are getting big in sooner. They also say they are some of the best eating fish there is don't know never tried them but I know a lot of people who have. Be a good place to take kids so they could catch a bunch.

Anyone know if they're good eating?? I would assume that it would be akin to a small sand/white bass. Same family.

Actually they are perch and yes they are great to eat from what I'm told from guys that are die hard crappie fisherman. Said they fillet them and throw them in the deep fryer.

Originally Posted by TimY

Actually they are perch and yes they are great to eat from what I'm told from guys that are die hard crappie fisherman. Said they fillet them and throw them in the deep fryer.

White perch = Morone americana, White bass = Morone chrysops, Striped bass = Morone saxatilis all family Moronidae

Yellow pearch = Perca flavescens , European perch = Perca fluviatilis, Walleye = Sander vitreus ; all family Percidae

Different family, so not a true perch. Then again, Dad always called sunfish (bluegill, redear, etc.) by the name of perch... Hearing that reference for 20 years cost me when I got into fisheries class in college, and guess what, I still call them perch! To each their own.

Dang been callin them perch for over 50 years. Ain't changing now.

Originally Posted by TimY

Dang been callin them perch for over 50 years. Ain't changing now.

Black bass are actually from the sunfish family and we call them bass, so go figure! Lol.

I hear Yankees like em!

Originally Posted by IkenI

I hear Yankees like em!

You mean the same folks that eat noodles in their chili??!?!?!?! Say it ain't so!

I have a subscription to the infisherman magazine. Last months issue talked about folks going after white perch and how tasty they are.