Northwest Fishing Reports

I caught my first perch the other day - by accident I was targetting trout.

Anyway a friend of mine was saying perch are tasty. So I've thought about going back and targetting them sometime.

Any recommendations for recipes for them?

Thanks

The simple way is to fillet, skin, coat them in a mix of flour, bread crumbs and seasonings and pan fry. A couple of years ago, I made a batter and deep fried them. The family and I now prefer them that way. Seasonings I use are: salt, paprika, granulated garlic, dill, black pepper and chili powder. I don't typically use all of them in every batch I make, they just get tossed in depending upon my mood at the time. I think though that my mother has the best recipe, it just isn't very heart friendly. Crush/pulverize Ritz crackers, dip the fillets in egg yolk, then in the cracker crumbs and pan fry in butter. Serve with tartar sauce, cocktail sauce, aioli sauce, malt vinegar or whatever floats your boat.

Warning - Once eaten, perch will become a favorite and may lead to increased fishing expeditions!

Ditto on G mans thoughts of Perch. I tried a perch sautee with white wine butter and seasonings but fried is the best.
"Perch = The other white meat"

Sounds pretty easy.

Do you remove the pin bones, or leave them in?

I clean them and take the skin off. Leave bones. Perch are not plagued with bones like some panfish. There is a center bone with ribs only. Skin and fry.
Skinning is best done while the fish are super fresh.

I would say only keep ones that are 9" + too if you don't want a real headache when filleting. There is no limit so pick and choose the good ones. Also, be careful how much you consume, perch are a benthic feeder and as such they are bio accumulators for all kinds of nasty substances in the water including heavy metals. Fortunately, much of this refuse is stored in the fat and skin which are removed when filleting. I think the state suggests only a few meals a month from most residential centric lakes.

I prefer perch beer battered with fries or tots. Use a good beer, like an IPA or a porter, something with a lot of flavor it makes a big difference. I also really enjoy perch tacos. Just use some lime juice, cilantro, cumin, chili powered, red pepper, and salt and cook about 5 minutes until done. Top with usual taco stuff.

Besides all of that, perch fishing is FUN! Take a girlfriend/wife and/or the kids and watch them have a blast catching fish after fish. Once you are on a school it is non-stop fish catching fun.

Good luck

Thanks for all the good ideas.

BTW found this video, thought it was cool - pjTlFwQb7D0

G-man is right on the money.
Thats my favorite way to eat them :chef:

Pan fried Perch---mmm mm.

Haven't caught a keeper in years but after that first bite of Perch, I still think it's the best tasting fresh water fish I've eaten.

Heres a lil hint to catch bigger Perch. We would catch our first few perch and fillet one with skin on. Slice in smaller pieces and use them for bait.Even the white fleshy part (tounge) in their mouths. The other is a bullhead (sculpin) I know we all think ewww but they do have beautiful white meat. I dont eat them but for bait they are great. Try it youll see. Perch are meat eaters too.

Perch are great to eat. I fillet and skin. The little pin bones will crisp up after you fry them. After that, just your normal batter and fry/pan fry method and some tarter sauce!

I prefer perch over crappie, especially in the summer. Crappie is a little soft for me when the water is warm.

If you get good size ones, your really don't need that many fish, probably 3 to 4 fish per person.

Hope this isn't a thread hijack but here goes.
What goes well with perch as a "main" coarse? Such as potatoes,rice,other?

The family and I have been having a great time catching perch but always let them go, recently I
have been checking out filleting videos courtesy of youtube and a few other sites and wouldn't mind
keeping a few for a decent meal. Any ideas? C'mon rac......you are our resident chef and when are you
bringing us over for dinner/BBQ?

Tell you what. On Seafair weekend I do the bbq up. I live a few blocks maybe a mile from Stan Sayres Pits.The crowds of people look like the Puyallup Fair neighborhoods. Its packed with people.I go no where unless of course............ hehehe.I will do babybacks,lamb,fish all weekend. I have friends come over all day. I save parking places at my place or my parents a block from me.Y'all are wellcome to come by. Just remember that alot of people that come by are different types of folks then we all fish with. I ask that everyone check their weapons with me. Hehehe.I dont need accidents.I
am going to my favorite butcher in Tumwater.My Traeger is dead for the moment . My hot rod broke. I need a new one.(That dosent sound very good). I pulled out the wood burning pit for now.It cooks way hotter then the Traeger.

This time of year for me is so darned busy. With work,canning,going to Eawa every weekend.I stay busy. Salmon fishing,Perch fishing.Crabbing. In this Great State we live in there is soooo much to do during our summers here.Im even chopping wood getting ready for winter. lol.