The last Fish Fry

[paddledog]

Not to say it is the last fish fry ever, just talking about the most recent.

As with most of these type things in the public eye, there are things that are visible
and there are things that go on behind the scenes.

I seem to garner the most accolades as the visible head to the large monster.
I still sleep well accepting them for the huge body of people behind me but I will feel better
exposing some of the hardest working volunteers I know of that pull together to get this done every year.

The fish fry started six years ago with Big Ryan Center asking if we could do a fish fry just for our chapter with
the fish he had caught and had at home in the freezer. I have been a long time employee of The Catfish Hole
and had access to a propane fired deep fryer, problem solved. Luckily for us there wasn't much wind that year at Turner's bend. The artery clogging aroma spread through out the campground and drew folks from neighboring chapters to investigate and want to join in. The seed was planted.

The decision to go "commercial" was easy to say and hard to do. Big Ryan has been a customer of the Catfish Hole in Alma his entire life. His grandfather use to take the entire family a couple time a month. If a restaurant can feed that boy an "all you can eat" menu for that many years and still be in business surly we can serve some hungry boaters and at least break even. So we had precedence on our side.

Bill Herring was the president of our chapter at the time, luckily he had camped close enough to the original fish fry to have sampled our wares and became a believer. Although not liking the name much, he endorsed a trial of the
first "FISH FRY".

Over the last five years a steady crew of hardy volunteers have stepped in to put it all together. The list is long and impossible to remember, but they know who they are and can pat themselves on the back for a job well done. We have over come some setbacks and still managed to feed the masses. Rain, high water, low water, forgotten equipment and ingredients, bugs and malfunction of equipment is the short list.

This year was one of the hardest to overcome with a combination of most of the above list. Low water was handled by the staff of the WW school in stellar fashion. Being friends with Ozark Tom, I was privy to some of the behind the curtain maneuvers that worked to pull together an almost flawless performance. With a total turn out of approximately 160 students and staff, that was no small accomplishment.

I started prepping at about 3 am. Saturday morning. Although I have garnered a list of stuff to make and bring over the last few years, I had trouble sleeping at about 10 that morning because of the feeling I was forgetting something. An hour later I was up and going over the final check list before heading south. If you ever have a desire to ride the next step up from an out of control roller coaster, come ride with me in a 1979 step van loaded to the gills pulling an overloaded trailer down the Pig trail. Even the dog got down in the wheel well and whispered dog prayers.

The new awning was donated by a couple in the NWA chapter that saw a need and had it extra. It will be a staple for many years to come. Awesome awning....perfect for what we need. It went up about 2 pm and then we relaxed. About 5 the stuff starting hitting the fan. First my ringer of a cook, Keane, noticed what I had forgotten, the fry baskets. You know one of those little things that make life so much better. I didn't want to ask Ryan to bob for fish so the calls went out and my lovely wife Janie was the unfortunate receiver. She scrambled quickly to retrieve the forgotten baskets from the Hole in Fayetteville and was on her way by 5:15. Problem one solved.

The next snake to raise it's ugly head was the more visible problem of one of the fryers not wanting to fire up. The pilot light just wouldn't light. What happened over the next hour was the most amazing example of team work I have ever had the privilege to be involved with. Stephen, Ryan, Orville, Tammy, Arthur and a handful of others worked to not only learn how the fryer works, but how to field strip, clean and repair the inner workings of a commercial fryer. I have never been that deep into a fryer in the twenty years I have been using them. Just as the fryer was ready for testing, the fry basket angels showed up and graced us with the necessary equipment.

The rest as they say is history. Orville shouted the needs, Ryan and Keane cooked it up and the rest of the NWA group worked the front half. All is well that ends well. Just as I heard "did you bring tartar?" way too many times year, I am sure to endure "did you bring the baskets?" next year. But I am still looking forward to it packing a better equipment list.


SYOTR.

[T Yamashita]

It was worth the wait! Thanks for all the work to you and the crew. Looking forward to next years, ty

[Fish]

Great tale! I'm proud to have played my part by doing the very hard work of eating and endorsement. Steve is gracious with his praise for all the others who pitch in and work, but he's the brains, heart, and soul of the operation, without whom none of it would happen. He is also the keeper and defender of the sacred hushpuppy recipe. (Moment of reverent silence)

Vive la Fish Fry!

- (Not fried) Fish

[okieboater]

Awesome is a much used word these days
However,
AWESOME team and AWESOME food is the word for what you guys and gals do.

[tomOzarkVideo]

Seriously good EATS!!!! Thank you for being the "fry daddy"

[JasonK]

My thanks and that of my bride and little girl to the whole team. Well done!

[summerbee]

we had it goin' on.

[justanovice]

Although I didn't attend the most recent WW school, I did attend last year's. Normally I don't eat much fried food, but let me tell you. After many exhausting hours of paddling, that fried fish was THE BEST EVER! I was SO grateful for you guys!
Many thanks!!!
Sandy

[Ryan Center]

You scared me when you said "The last Fish Fry", It's one of the events I look forward to every year. So much, that last year I had to swallow my pride and admit I couldn't work the baskets with a broken arm.

Steve, It's amazing on how no mater what gets thrown at us, you always get it worked out and it seems to go unhitched. It's always a pleasure to work by your side being fish fry's, swift water rescue classes, or just whatever.

The part I enjoy most about the fish fry is how everyone appreciates it. Nothing better than getting off the river from teaching or learning and not worrying about what you going to eat for dinner. Hope it's something we can keep doing for many years.

A big THANKS to all that come to eat!

[74broncogirl]

I, too, was a little worried you were calling it quits! This was my first year to attend and I thought the food was magnificent! I'm so glad you have a wonderful group of helpers to help you feed the masses each year. Thank you to all of those who helped make the fish fry successful! Y'all did a great job!

Christy

[Kurt]

Thanks to Steve and everyone who volunteered to cook, serve, clean, repair, bring baskets from Springdale, shop for, prep for, sell, etc. The fish fry. I really appreciate all the efforts that go into the operation and for the loyal fans at school each year. Steve you do a great job with all the organization and pre work for the event and hope this post eas really the latest fish fry. Not the last fish fry.
kurt

[L.A.paddler]

I never would have guessed that there where any problems. Joanna and I where near the front of the line and just breezed on through with a plate full of wonderful fried catfish. Thanks to all who make this happen!