sacramento-perch
Species Facts

Science Name: Archoplites interruptus
Ideal Temp: 65 to 75 F
Description

Description Light brown sides with greenish to purplish reflections, 6 or 7 irregular dark bars along the side, and a dark spot on the gill-cover lobe.

Table Quality White, flaky meat with a good flavor.

Sporting Quality Because they seldom from schools and are not aggressive feeders, Sacramento perch are more difficult to catch than most other panfish. The best time to fish for them is when they congregate to spawn. They will strike subsurface flies, jigs, spinners, small crankbaits and minnows. A slow retrieve usually works best.

Habitat Sacramento perch are usually found in weedy lakes, sloughs and sluggish rivers. They can tolerate highly alkaline waters, and have been stocked in prairie lakes with salinities too high for most other gamefish. They prefer water temperatures from 65 to 75F.

Food Habits The diet consists mostly of insect larvae, small crustaceans and small fish, including their own young. They will also take beetles, water boatmen and other adult insects off the surface.

Spawning Habits Spawn in late spring or early summer, usually at water temperatures from 70 to 75F. The males do not build nests, but select a definite spawning site, normally in a weedy area shard by many other spawners. After spawning, the parents abandon the eggs, leaving them vulnerable to predators. This habit has led to a decline of Sacramento perch populations in waters where other fish have been stocked.

Age and Growth Sacramento perch have a maximum life span of about 9 years. Females grow faster and normally live longer than males.