I used to use white bait and dead minnows to catch Chub, Perch and Trout in my local river.
I used to free line them down the river and just watch and feel the line for bite indication. If I didnt get a take on the way down stream I used to slowly wind in and the minnow would spin in the current like a lure. I used to catch just as many on the way back in as I did on the initial drift down stream.
Unlike pike, or even chub, perch don't often take static deadbaits. I think it would be more effective to use whitebait as a lure using sink and draw tactics.