Perch Time on Simcoe!

It's almost perchin' time again
Orillia Perch Festival begins Saturday
By Lance Holdforth Special to The Packet & Times
Posted 1 day ago
Although ice still covers parts of Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe, the 30th annual Orillia Perch Festival will proceed hook, line and sinker.

Event organizer Doug Bunker said as one of the largest fishing derbies in Canada, boats will launch and lines will be cast "ice or no ice."

"When the ice goes, and a couple days after that, they fish come out like gangbusters," he said. "The only thing not going ahead is my fishing skills. I was out trying to catch some perch — because I have to tag the guys, and I'm not doing too well."

Opening ceremonies will commence Friday at ODAS Park, but the 22-day festival will officially start Saturday morning.

Bunker told The Packet a pre-Perch Festival contest started Tuesday to help catch and tag some last-minute perch for the event, and participants may reap the rewards.

"The first 10 anglers in with 10 perch between 7-12 inches will get a piece of paper entered into a draw for $100 worth of fishing gear," Bunker said. "I need some die-hard anglers to be out there when I can't so we have fish to tag."

Anyone participating in the early contest is asked to take their catch to the Blue Beacon Marine for measuring and tagging.

More than 70 perch valued around $500 a fish, and two sponsored by Casino Rama valued at $3,000, will be tagged and released Friday, which Bunker said will have anglers "reeling."

"We're the biggest derby in Canada and this event is really easy to do," he said. "You don't have to go by size or weight of the fish. You just go fishing, bring in a perch alive and you're automatically in all the draws."

Adults and children registered for the event will be eligible for six grand prizes, daily draws and weekly draws, Bunker said.

"If you fish for more than one day, it doesn't cost you more, but you increase your chances by the more draws you're in," he said. "If you fish three days, you're actually in three sets of draws."

Bunker said "Mother Nature rules," when it comes to the event, but participants from past years have always returned to try their luck.

"There are people coming from all over," Bunker said. "They all said it's great quality time with the kids, the fishing is easy and it's a great day out."

During past events, Bunker said the festival has seen devoted anglers return each year, but also a growing number of families participating.

"You couldn't meet a more co-operative species perch. They are so aggressive that kids don't get bored because they catch fish," he said. "I think that's the reason a lot of families participate in this event — because the kids enjoy the sport."

The festival runs from April 16 to May 7, and registration is $20 for adults and $5 for children under 16.

For more information about the Orillia Perch Festival, visit www.orillia.com.