Trout-Perch

Trout-Perch (Percopsis omiscomaycus)

The only member of the family Percopsidae found in North America, the trout- perch are bottom feeders which prefer clean sand and gravel substrates.

In streams, the largest populations tend to occur within the larger, deeper pools of low gradients where the substrates are free from silts and clays.

In Ohio the largest populations were found in the low gradient streams of the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau. With the exception of small populations in SW Ohio, they were largely absent from the western half of Ohio and large areas of NE Ohio.

A large population also formerly occurred in Lake Erie and the lower portions of some of the Lake Erie tributary streams. This population has declined over the last 40 years due to deteriorating habitat conditions in the lake.

At one time the trout-perch was thought to be an important forage fish for many species in Lake Erie such as Walleye, Northern Pike, Burbot, Lake Trout, and Yellow Perch.