TI)e Pil^e-Percl) (Sfizostedium v it renin). 



The pike-perch is often incorrectly called pike, without the suffix perch, and it is 

 called by other names that are inappropriate and should be relegated to oblivion as 

 relative to this fish, but our people cling to the common local names of fishes, however 

 incorrect or inappropriate, with such pertinacity that it is a most difficult matter to 

 bring about reform in this particular. The fish is here accurately represented in form 

 and colors with its proper common name for the purpose of identification and fixing the 

 name upon it. 



The pike-perch belongs to the family of perches of which the common yellow 

 perch is also a member, but of another genus. It is one of the most prolific of thf 

 fresh water fishes, and is highly esteemed both as a commercial and game fish. Of its 

 food qualities, I have heard it said that there are but two fresh-water fish which have 

 a distinctive flavor of their own which separate them from other fishes when cooked, 

 and that they are the white fish and pike-perch. The author of this remark may have 

 been an enthusiastic admirer of the two fishes named, and may have had a very fine 

 sense of taste, but it is true that the pike-perch is one of the best of table fishes, and 

 one that seems to be little known, comparatively, in the common literature of our 

 fishes, although it is highly regarded by sportsmen in the West, and should find greater 

 favor as a hook and line fish in this State than it has heretofore. To see great 

 numbers of pike-perch uninvitingly displayed in a market 

 stall does not recommend the fish to the angler ; but once 

 overcome prejudice, if prejudice it be, and the pike-perch 

 will take as high rank as a game fish as it now holds as a 

 food fish. The counterpart of the pike-perch is 

 found in Europe, where it is known as Zander, 

 or Sandre [Lnciopcrca sandm), and we see as 

 little of it in the European literature of fishes as 

 we do in our own. 



The pike-perch is a spring-spawning fish, 

 spawning usually in April, and grows to 

 great size. It is claimed that there has been 



captured one weighing fifty pounds ; but Dr -^^^^^^ ^ 



D. C. Estes, of Minnesota, caught one of '^^ "J*^ Mh'^ 



forty pounds and preserved its head. They ' '^J-' 



spawn in streams and in lakes, their habits tweezers for LirrtNe out dead eggs. 



^^Hr 



