Plans were being made for next year long before the festivities at the 1st annual Perch Tournament in Michigan City wrapped up last Saturday. “You bet we're going to do it again,” said organizer Tony Childers, proprietor of Chief's Bait and Tony's Outboards.

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“For a first time, it went great - there were 216 entries. We had a good group of volunteers and lots of other people stepped up to make it work.”

Those 200-plus participants put up $10 apiece ($5 for youngsters), fished their best, measured and cleaned their catch then enjoyed a perch fry.

Winners included Walter Reuer and Pat O'Leary for the best two-man limit (30 perch) which was good for a cool $1,005. The winning catch totaled 14.65 pounds.

Rich Lipniskis claimed the $750 prize for the longest perch, a 13 and 3/4 incher.

Youth division produced a first place tie at 12 inches for Pepper Baja and John Marshall. Both of them (their parents, actually) received $150. Third place and $100 went to Merritz Peterson for a fine 11 and 3/4 inch perch.

Despite the quirky weather leading up to the contest (a mid-week storm registered 100 mph gusts) fishing was decent.

“We did our best in 41 feet of water, a bit deeper than the rest,” Reuer said.

“It was real good up until about 9:30 (a.m.), then the wind switched to the west,” added partner O'Leary.

Childers has no doubts the perch contest is here to stay.

“Its good fun, something the whole family can enjoy,” Childers said, adding, “we're looking at the last Saturday in July for next year.”