The rain couldn't wash away the Orillia Perch Festival die-hards on Saturday morning.
Some local and visiting anglers were fishing on the boardwalk at the Port of Orillia.
The 42nd annual event is being operated for the first time by the Competitive Sport Fishing League (CSFL) this year. Event director Andrew Pallotta says he's "content" with a smaller-than-usual turnout due to the rain.
"You have to expect that it might rain," he said. "It is what it is. A few years back, we had ice. It could be sunny, and yesterday was beautiful. So, anything can happen."
He says this is a rebuilding year for the festival as the CSFL gains perspective on how to improve it.
"When you take things on, you want to take your time to figure it out," he said. "We took this on late, but we figured we should run it. We didn't want it to skip a year."
Pallotta says the CSFL is running the event this year with "open eyes" to grow the festival in 2025.
"The port is a really great venue for this," he said. "It has a great fishing pier for kids, the accessibility to the lake is right here, and Lake Couchiching is a little more predictable than Lake Simcoe."
With ongoing construction on Lightfoot Drive, Pallotta says there were a lot of "obstacles" for the festival this year.
"We aren't coming in here expecting to see a million people," he said.
In future years, he hopes to turn Couchiching Beach Park into a festival-like venue with local and out-of-town vendors.
"It would be a good opportunity for community businesses who want to come down and be a part of the festival," he said.
Pallotta also wants to challenge local schools to implement fishing clubs to get involved with the event next year.
"We want the schools to challenge each other to participate and create a great atmosphere," he said. "We have a lot of great ideas now that we've had the opportunity to talk to people."
He says the CSFL isn't looking to make money off the event; the goal is to get more youth involved with the sport.
This year, the festival is technically a three-day event. It used to operate for two weeks. Now, if people catch tagged perch this weekend, they win $200. On Monday, they are worth $100. For a week after that, they are worth $50.
Remi Trombly, the owner of Trombly's Tackle Box, says his customers aren't thrilled with the change.
"They would like to see a longer event," he said. "They'd also like to see it happen earlier in the season when the perch are on the move more so they aren't so spread out."
Trombly, who has sponsored the event for 36 years, says registration was "definitely down" at his store from previous years.
"The weather isn't in our favour presently," he said. "A longer event would help capitalize on people coming from out of town to make a holiday of it."
He is confident that with some changes and better advertising, the CSFL could make the event grow.
"Promotion is important," he said. "If the dates of the event are out sooner, the prizes are out sooner, it will build awareness and excitement for the event so people will come for a week’s holidays."
The festival is a "great event," Trombly says, and he's happy to see it continue after four decades.
"People are buying ice, pop, chips, gas, and staying at hotels, and restaurants," he said. "It helps to build the community at a slower time of year."
He hopes the festival will continue to hook youth onto the sport.
"When you get kids started on it, they get the excitement of it," he said. "Then they become anglers the rest of their lives."
For any tagged perch caught following the festival's closing date, Trombly will donate a free rod and reel to the winner.
Elgin Quesnelle, of Orillia, has participated in the festival every year. He brought some perch to the weigh-in station at the Port of Orillia on Saturday morning.
"I enjoy getting out fishing, meeting new people, and maybe trying to win something," he said. "Whether the weather is good or bad, I like to get out fishing."
He likes the live weigh-ins, social media, and the tagged fish components of the event.
"It makes it more open," he said. "If the weather was better, I think there would be more people here today."
The rain hurt the event on Saturday, Quesnelle believes.
"Usually, where we fish on Lankin Boulevard, you can't get a spot," he said. "Today there was nobody there at all."
Quesnelle also feels the CSFL could have done a better job advertising for the event.
"They need better prizes," he said. "You won't get people from Michigan or Ohio if the prizes are small."
Having tourists from other parts of North America in Orillia for the festival is "what it's all about," Quesnelle says.
"When you see lots of people fishing, that's what makes a fishing tournament," he said. "Usually, you would see the Narrows full of fishing boats. There's nobody there."
