While freshwater perch (also called sunfish) are known to reach sizes where they can be cleaned and eaten on their own, they are generally considered a baitfish, useful for catching (at least where I'm from) catfish, and, to a lesser extent, bass.
The best way I've found to catch them is to place a small bit of earthworm on a tiny baitholder hook - I don't know the size, but the ones I use have a gap of about 5mm and a shank about 8mm. Use 6 lb. or smaller line, and set a small split-shot about 3 inches above, and (optionally) tie a swivel a few inches above that. Put a bobber about 12 to 14 inches from the hook, and toss the whole mess out about 10 feet or so from shore. When the bobber goes under, jerk the rod lightly upwards to set the hook. No need to rip the fish's lips off, here.
Once you bring them in, there's a number of things you can do. Alive, they make excellent bait for yellow catfish and largemouth bass; larger ones can be hooked through the jaw and upper lip, rather than the head (like one would with a minnow). They're also useful as cutbait; there doesn't seem to be any point to filleting them, but just chopping them works fine; I pulled in the biggest channel of my life on a perch head.