Keith Riddle shows off this nice 8 lbs., 13 oz. steelhead he caught in the White River during the White Lake Perch Festival.
“It was a fantastic turnout,” White River Steelheaders’ Mike Schalk commented on this year’s White Lake Perch Festival the club held Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 23 and 24.
Schalk, who is the secretary-treasurer for the Steelheaders as well as the Perch Festival prizes chairman, said it was one of the best festival’s despite the rain on Sunday.
“We had a better chili cookoff attendance, the all-you-can-eat fish dinner Saturday night was packed out and the prize ceremonies on Sunday was wall-to-wall people,” he said of the event headquartered at the White Lake VFW Post #3256 in Montague.
“And, for the first time all the chili cookoff contestants said they would be back next year.”
He added, “It was a terrific tournament. I’m very happy on how it went, despite the rain.”
Those contestants, and any more who will enter next year, will have to unseat this year’s champion, the White Lake VFW Post #3256 which won first place and the “Most Popular” chili.
The cookoff featured six celebrity judges who picked the prize winning chili. The Most Popular chili was decided by people who bought tickets to gets small servings of the chili. The contestant who received the most tickets won.
Competing for the awards with the VFW were Morgan’s Kountry Kitchen of Rothbury, the Algot Johnson American Legion Post #69 in Whitehall, the 750 Grill in North Muskegon, Pekadill’s in Whitehall and the Wayside Inn in Montague.
The judges this year were: Dane Ward of Taylor Bridge Store, Mike Luker of Luker Custom Canvas, Montague Mayor Henry Roesler, Jr., Jeff Auch of the Muskegon Conservation District and Ron Spring of Springs Sporting Goods.
But, the ice fishing is at the heart of the festival, and Schalk said the Steelheaders are focusing on getting children involved in the sport.
Contestants were allowed to enter fish caught from waters in Muskegon, Oceana, Newaygo and Mason counties.
The festival has a special category for youth anglers, and each contestant received a free bag fill with fishing gear. There were 29 contestants who weighed in fish in the Youth Division.
That division was won by Megan Schaub who weighed in a 289 gram perch.
The largest perch in the adult division weighed 645 grams, and was entered by Marth Cagney.
The Steelhead Division was won by Jason Wiggins’ 11 lb., 10 oz fish.
Winning the Panfish Division was a bluegill weighing 433 grams entered by Trevor Danes.
Dustin VandePutte entered the winning walleye with a 10 lb., 13 oz fish, Tim Corradin had the winning northern pike with a 15 lb., 10 oz fish and Justin Hendrie won the Crappie Division with a 508 gram fish.
The top three winners in each category are as follows.
Youth Perch Division
(29 fish weighed)
1. Megan Schaub 289 grams
2. Branden Johnson 285 grams
3. Brody Owens 253 grams
Adult Perch Division
(45 fish weighed)
1. Marth Cagney 645 grams
2. Brian Snelles 578 grams
3. Dale Owens 461 grams
Panfish Division
(17 fish weighed)
1. Trevor Danes 433 grams
2. Isaac Macke 363 grams
3. Jim Mock 322 grams
Walleye Division
(13 fish weighed)
1. Dustin VandePutte 10 lb., 13 oz.
2. Mark Joza 8 lb., 6 oz.
3. Jim Budd 6 lb., 12 oz.
Northern Pike Division
(25 fish weighed)
1. Tim Corradin 15 lb., 10 oz.
2. Alex Michael 11 lb., 13 oz.
3. Eric Lange 11 lb., 8 oz.
Crappie Division
(8 fish weighed)
1. Justin Hendrie 508 grams
2. Curt Symko 465 grams
3. Jeff Powers 427 grams
