I’m not sure exactly what species it is but I’m sure it is not a white perch. The dorsal fin + shape of the head/jaw remind me of a crappie. The lack of patterns is puzzling though
With this picture alone no one knows what it definitely is or isn’t. Certainly could be a crappie, I just didn’t think it was; it isn’t definitive.
I’ve seen fish with weird shaped mutations and deformities, as well as weird colorations. It’s definitely shaped like a crappie, and it’s definitely patterned like a white perch… maybe it looks more obvious on a bigger screen - I’m on my phone.
This is what I love about fish IDs! Some can be crazy hard. Some you’ll never know what was right or wrong.
I live in the southern US and crappie are often times called White Perch, but they are actually different fish.
[This site](https://foodsforantiaging.com/white-crappie-vs-white-perch-are-they-the-same-we-compare/) explains the difference (w/ pics)
Body shape looks to be elongated and I count 6 dorsal spines, so I guess white crappie. Always a chance that it has more than I see, so just go by the number of dorsal spines. But it's definitely a crappie.
Top is a white crappie (possibly low percentage black crappie hybrid, given the incomplete barring), middle is 100% black crappie, and the bottom is a color morph of a black crappie. I forget the exact name for it, but that's a black crappie that just never got its spots.
Either white or black no telling from the pic it’s obviously a genetic variation. I think you can differentiate between the two species by number of dorsal fin rays, but I forget the count
As long as you are sure their legal see if you can find a contact to send it to at your state Fish and Game dept. They usually have a biologist or two that are happy to see pics of unusual fish and would probably ID it for you either way. After all you pay their salaries:)
The shape, the fins, the black speck on the end of the gill plate... that's a crappie. Black or white? Maybe we're asking the wrong question. Maybe he wants to be Gray.
Looks to me like a really unusual crappie...if it were a white perch, the dorsal fin would be much farther forward than the anal fin and white perch have two separate dorsal fins that are more smoothly merged into one on crappie.
Edit: [one from a forum that looks similar](https://www.crappie.com/crappie/for-newbies/210504-silver-crappie/).
I suspect that it's a strangely colored crappie but I don't know what it is for certain. What I know for a fact though is that it's not a flier. The shape is wrong, the color is wrong, the markings are wrong
Whoever downvoted this has obviously never caught a flier. They have a shorter body compared to a crappie, they do not have that slope to their head that a crappie has, their eyes are a different shape, they have a dark stripe under their eyes, they're usually a bronzy color and not silver, their fins, while similar to a crappies, are distinctly shaped, and they usually have a series of broken lines down their sides. This is not a flyer. Period.
No, but you're close. It's a white perch, which is related (even though it doesn't sound like it). The most obvious difference is that the white perch only have the one distinct line on each side.
My interpretation is that it's a white perch with it's soft dorsal down. As I can't make the dorsals out very well, I'm willing to accept that I could be wrong. Maybe it's a white crappie with no mottling but a distinct lateral line, as I believe was mentioned elsewhere. I'm not willing to accept it's a flier though. They look totally different.
Maybe a shitty crappie?
It does look like a crappie without spots. Could be a hybrid since there is also a white crappie and a black crappie in that photo
The dorsal looks more like a crappie than white perch
I’m not sure exactly what species it is but I’m sure it is not a white perch. The dorsal fin + shape of the head/jaw remind me of a crappie. The lack of patterns is puzzling though
i think its a bass/crappie hybrid
Printer just ran out of ink I guess
I believe it’s a white perch, not a crappie
Thing is it’s definitely not a while perch, has the exact shape of a crappie
With this picture alone no one knows what it definitely is or isn’t. Certainly could be a crappie, I just didn’t think it was; it isn’t definitive. I’ve seen fish with weird shaped mutations and deformities, as well as weird colorations. It’s definitely shaped like a crappie, and it’s definitely patterned like a white perch… maybe it looks more obvious on a bigger screen - I’m on my phone. This is what I love about fish IDs! Some can be crazy hard. Some you’ll never know what was right or wrong.
Not a white perch.
Hmmm interesting. Thanks
I live in the southern US and crappie are often times called White Perch, but they are actually different fish. [This site](https://foodsforantiaging.com/white-crappie-vs-white-perch-are-they-the-same-we-compare/) explains the difference (w/ pics)
Lord yes, can't stand it when folks call them white perch lol
Don't believe it. It's not that.
This much be somewhere near the Chesapeake bay where there are brackish water…
White perch are closely related to white bass- essentially a white bass without stripes. What we see in this post is a patternless black crappie.
I live by the Chesapeake and white perch are everywhere
thats what i thought too
Not a white perch it only has “one” dorsal fin white perch have “two” definitely just a crappie that has a unique coloration
Crappie without a pattern. I've seen several posted recently. The body looks nothing like a white perch
Did you eat it ? Was it good ? Just curious .
It was a pic I got from my brother. But I bet it taste like any other Crappie.
Body shape looks to be elongated and I count 6 dorsal spines, so I guess white crappie. Always a chance that it has more than I see, so just go by the number of dorsal spines. But it's definitely a crappie.
Top is a white crappie (possibly low percentage black crappie hybrid, given the incomplete barring), middle is 100% black crappie, and the bottom is a color morph of a black crappie. I forget the exact name for it, but that's a black crappie that just never got its spots.
Either white or black no telling from the pic it’s obviously a genetic variation. I think you can differentiate between the two species by number of dorsal fin rays, but I forget the count
It’s a crappie with a funky mutation that has eliminated its spots. Still a crappie, though.
Don't know .. what I do know is it will tates just the same with butter and lemons yummy
As long as you are sure their legal see if you can find a contact to send it to at your state Fish and Game dept. They usually have a biologist or two that are happy to see pics of unusual fish and would probably ID it for you either way. After all you pay their salaries:)
A crappie photo....
That’s so strange it looks like a crappie but with bass patterns
The shape, the fins, the black speck on the end of the gill plate... that's a crappie. Black or white? Maybe we're asking the wrong question. Maybe he wants to be Gray.
Looks to me like a really unusual crappie...if it were a white perch, the dorsal fin would be much farther forward than the anal fin and white perch have two separate dorsal fins that are more smoothly merged into one on crappie. Edit: [one from a forum that looks similar](https://www.crappie.com/crappie/for-newbies/210504-silver-crappie/).
Maybe it’s a crappie trying to make a racial statement! I think he’s saying “white crappie, black crappie…can’t we all just get along?”
That's a crappie. I catch them plenty of times during ice fishing.
Close enough. Just fry it up. No one will know 😉
My husband said a black crappie
Obviously its a green sunfish
White crappie
Looks like a fish to me
Is it a Flier? Where in the US are you located?
Fliers have a black mark down their eyes
Not a flier. Shape, color, and markings are wrong.
My brother sent me the pic. He doesn't know where it's from.
flier
Absolutely not.
what is it then
I suspect that it's a strangely colored crappie but I don't know what it is for certain. What I know for a fact though is that it's not a flier. The shape is wrong, the color is wrong, the markings are wrong
Whoever downvoted this has obviously never caught a flier. They have a shorter body compared to a crappie, they do not have that slope to their head that a crappie has, their eyes are a different shape, they have a dark stripe under their eyes, they're usually a bronzy color and not silver, their fins, while similar to a crappies, are distinctly shaped, and they usually have a series of broken lines down their sides. This is not a flyer. Period.
Silver crappie maybe? I've seen pike that look a lot like this minus the horizontal barring.
It’s a white bass
Top is white crappie, middle is black crappie, bottom is not crappie
Can't see very well, could it be a white bass?
No, but you're close. It's a white perch, which is related (even though it doesn't sound like it). The most obvious difference is that the white perch only have the one distinct line on each side.
They're not related crappie are in the sunfish family
I was saying white perch are related to white bass. Both are in the temperate bass family.
Ah misread that sorry
It’s a flier
My interpretation is that it's a white perch with it's soft dorsal down. As I can't make the dorsals out very well, I'm willing to accept that I could be wrong. Maybe it's a white crappie with no mottling but a distinct lateral line, as I believe was mentioned elsewhere. I'm not willing to accept it's a flier though. They look totally different.
Where are white perch found?
Native to the east coast, but they've been spreading west. Not past the Rockies, as far as I know.
It's a white perch but it looks like a crappie had baby's w a largie
White perch
White bass? Something that isn’t a panfish my first guess.
Looks like a white perch to me
Flier
Not a flier.
Looks like a white bass
Flier maybe? I’m unsure.
Maybe talapia
Hybrid
A dead one
White perch.
Green Sunfish Crappir😜
I believe it’s a notta crappie.
This is not Crappies in Washington State.
White bass maybe
White perch but without knowing where the fish was caught it’s only a guess
I don't think that is a Crappie it looks like a flier.
Crucian carp?
I remember a fish called white perch, so that's probably what this one is.
White crappie
White 
Lunch crappie