THE BASSES: FRES H-W ATER AND MARINE 



Qualities 



As a pan-fish this species is a great favorite. 

 The flesh is white, firm, flaky, and of excellent fla- 

 vor. Few fishes on the east coast are more highly 

 esteemed. Norris was the great apostle of the white 

 perch. He described in detail the modes of fishing 

 and also the hest methods of cooking. For fry- 

 ing he recommended that the fish be rolled in 

 grated cracker or coarse corn meal and moderately 

 browned. For a piquant dish he gives the follow- 

 ing suggestions: 



" Cut off the heads and tails and fry enough to lay them 

 open; take out the backbone and ribs, dividing each into 

 two slices; then put them in the pan again and brown 

 them in coarse corn meal, pouring over them, when nearly 

 done, a little Worcestershire sauce or walnut catsup, and 

 serve them up with drawn butter and an additional quan- 

 tity of sauce or catsup." 



As a game-fish the white perch ranks very high. 

 Its known voracity makes it a free biter on many 

 kinds of bait, and with light tackle the angler may 

 be certain of good sport provided he can locate the 

 schools. The fish rises fairly well to the artificial 

 fly in fresh-water streams and ponds. Henshall 

 relates an experience which illustrates the persist- 

 ency of the fish: a white perch was caught four 



