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CASSOPOLIS — If there is ice, they will come.

For only the second time in its brief history, the 2101 Stone Lake Ice fishing Bowl had enough ice to host the completion.

But unlike two years ago, instead of a handful of brave souls who ventured out onto the ice for the competition, a total of 125 anglers were ready to square off for a chance to win $500 in three separate categories.

Jake LaGrow caught the biggest fish of the day and won the $500 first place for the largest crappie, which measured 15-inches. His winning fish weighed one-pound, 13 1/8-ounces.

Daniel Boler won the perch category with his fish that measured 11 and a half inches, while Owen Hulett was the winner in the blue gill division with a fish measuring eight and three-quarter inches.

The blue gill and perch both weighed 11 7/8-ounces.

“In the four years I have been in charge or running it, we have been able to have it twice,” said Rick Drews, tournament director. “This year, I was worried, but we had plenty of ice. On Thursday, we drilled some holes and said it was a go. On Friday, we went out and marked off areas where they could fish that we felt were safe. All in all, it was very well received. It was the safest ice we have had in the four years.”

Drews wanted to thank all the sponsors of the event, which is put on by the Cassopolis Main Street Committee. He especially wanted to thank the Cassopolis Building Department, The Lodges at Stone Lake and The Dino Project for donating the prize money, as well as Clear H2O Tackle and Trails End Sports and Gunsmithing for the donation of door prizes.

Drews said that plans are already under way for the 2022 Stone Lake Ice Fishing Bowl. He likes the idea of picking two dates like the Main Street Committee picked this year moving forward.