The Fresh Water Fishes of New England/Back fins spinous rayed
35. The Yellow Perch. Perca (flavescens) (americana) fluviatilis.
The Yellow Perch grows to twelve inches in length and to one pound in weight, although some weighing as high as four pounds have been caught. Color, back, black; sides, greenish yellow with black stripes; belly, white; belly fins and lower hind fins, red; breast fins and tail, black and reddish; back fin, black. When the Yellow Perch is found in clear water or sandy bottoms, the colors are much paler.
The Yellow Perch is found in all lakes, ponds, and slow-flowing streams, and when taken from springy water is an excellent foodfish, but often has a muddy taste when found in swampy ponds.
Bites readily, even on hot days, taking worms, grasshoppers, and live bait, and sometimes rising to the artificial fly.
36. The Pike Perch. Stizostedion canadense.
Grows to twelve inches in length. Color, grayish sand color with blackish dots and dotted stripes, and some irregular, spattered dots on fins.
The Pike Perch is found in Lake Champlain and waters north and west, and is caught with live bait and by bottom fishing.
37. The Wall-Eye. Stizostedion vitreum.
Length, from one to three feet. Similar to Stizostedion canadense except for five or six regular rows of dots on fins.
Lives in the waters farther west. Both the Pike Perch and the Wall-Eye are highly esteemed as foodfishes.
38. The White Perch. Morone americana.
Rarely exceeds twelve inches in length and one and one-half pounds in weight. Our handsomest fish. Color, back, brown or black; sides, white silvery with bluish and pinkish reflections; belly, white; fins, blackish, light reddish on outer edge.
The White Perch lives mostly in brackish water, from which it retires in winter to the sea. In summer it ascends fresh-water rivers, and thrives in many fresh-water ponds, from which it cannot return.
Bites readily at worms and live bait, and is extremely gamy, much more so than the Yellow Perch.
39. The Striped Bass. Rockfish. Roccus lineatus.
Length, three to five feet. Color, back, black; sides, silvery with black lengthwise stripes.
Enters the mouth of rivers to spawn. A favorite foodfish, and celebrated among fishermen for its gamy qualities.
For Striped Bass fishing, shrimps, clams, fishbait, pork, and artificial flies are used.
40. The White Bass. Roccus chrysops.
Length, fifteen inches. Color, like Roccus lituatus; the black stripes on sides being somewhat narrower, however, and, while quite similar in shape also, is broader, like Morone americana.
Lives from Lake Champlain westward, in quiet water.
The White Bass is a good foodfish, and is caught with minnows in deep water.
41. The Olmsted Darter. Etheostoma olmstedi.
Length, three and one-half inches. Color, olive brown with blotches and zigzag marks on sides; fins, speckled.
Lives in small brooks.
42. The Log Perch. Hogfish. Etheostoma caprodes.
Length, six to eight inches. Color, yellowish green with many light and dark crossbars; fins, barred.
43. The Spindle-Shaped Darter. Etheostoma fusiforme.
Length, two inches. Color, olive, mottled with brown; sides, dusky crossbars and red spots.
Lives in slow-running brooks and mudholes.
44. The Silversides. Menidia notata.
Length, five inches. Color, transparent green, a broad, silvery, lengthwise stripe, and each scale marked on the edge by a dark spot.
Lives along the seacoast.
45. The Small-Mouthed Black Bass. Micropterus dolomieu.
Length, one to two feet. Weight, two to seven pounds. Color, olive green with black dots and brownish markings.
46. The Large-Mouthed Black Bass. Green Bass. Oswego Bass. Bayou Bass. Micropterus salmoides.
Length, one to two and one-half feet. Weight, two to eight pounds. Color, dark green, silvery below.
Differs from Micropterus dolomieu chiefly on account of its large mouth.
The Black Bass are southern fishes transplanted into New England waters on account of their gamy qualities, but opinions differ in regard to their value as foodfishes.
Both bite voraciously at worms, live bait, hellgramites and spoonhooks, and show gallant fight when hooked.
47. The Sunfish. Bream. Pumpkin Seed. Lepomis gibbosus. (See cut opposite.)
Length, eight inches. Color, back, olive green; sides, bluish; belly, yellow.
Common in quiet, shallow waters, where it occupies certain spots as a regular dwelling-place. Being very bony, it is of little account as a foodfish. The Sunfish bites readily at worms.
48. The Long-Eared Sunfish. Lepomis auritus.
Length, eight inches. Resembles L. gibbosus, but narrower and reddish below.
Easily identified by the long ear flaps.