The name Perch has been used to describe and sell all sorts of fish in North America and worldwide. A lot of it has to do with the fact that Perch are found in freshwater lakes and streams virtually all across the northern hemisphere. The name Perch is instantly recognizable and synonymous with quality as both a food item and recreational fish. It's no wonder the name Perch was tagged on to just about anything that resembled the real deal. It helped people understand what exactly it was and certainly didn't hurt sales. There is only one Perch in the perca genus - the Yellow Perch, although the percidae genus, which makes up the vast majority of all freshwater fish in North America and can also called Perches, are strong in numbers. Walleye, for example, falls under the percidae genus of fishes. The best way to look at the whole situation is this: the Yellow Perch is a perch perch, and the others fall into line accordingly as walleye perch, sauger perch and the like.

If you've ever been fishing in lakes and rivers in Canada and the US, you've probably fished for Yellow Perch. They are small distinctive looking fish with several vertical dark bands along the body. The skin is a rather colorful green and gold and the fins can be bright orange. They are considered some of the best eating freshwater fish. They are small enough to be pan-fry fish, but they are commonly sold as fillets. Fillets are very small averaging 2-4 ounces and generally sell for top dollar. The flesh is delicately sweet, flaky and lean with a very pleasant mild flavor. Being that the fillets are so small and lean, it's not difficult to overcook these little guys. They aren't well suited to grilling for this reason, but work wondrously well with a quick sauté or poach or steam. In Canada, the Great Lakes are the main source of production. They are available year round - taken by ice-fishermen in the winter.