Despite a gloomy weather forecast for the day, the SRSA Trout Contest for Kids for 2025 was an immense success on Saturday April 5th. The really bad weather only greeted us briefly during the midday, and overall the fishing was decent with a good flurry in the early hours. As always, the eager young anglers started showing around dawn with their friends and families, and our food tent quickly got busy serving hungry participants.
The event officially began with a shotgun start at 8 AM courtesy of Spring Lake Police Chief Edward Kerr and the VFW, and it was only a few minutes before the fish were biting. The bent rods were a welcome sight, but the day is always about more than just the fishing. We were delighted to welcome new friends from Red Valley Ranch and their walk-through petting zoo, and our partners at The Jersey Shore Pirates were on hand to “avast ye hearties” and paint plenty of happy young faces. Rizzo’s Wildlife World has become a staple of the day and they had another batch of critters on hand to share with the children. The free refreshments were a delicious highlight, with donuts from Dunkin, bagels from Bloomfield Best Bagels, cookies and brownies from Saker’s Shop Rite, and late morning hot dogs courtesy of Bailey’s. Jersey Mike’s joined the menu this year, and their bounty of turkey subs was a superb addition. For those that fancied a chilled dessert, Ralph’s Italian Ice truck was on hand with tasty treats, and long-time sponsor Pepsi provided beverages to quench the thirsts all day long. At 1:30 PM, the competition came to a close with a siren provided by the fire truck from the Spring Lake Fire Department.
Once again, we put a Kids Contest event in the rearview mirror and file away some outstanding memories! We are so grateful for the widespread and generous support of all our sponsors, and our membership continues to maintain a deep labor of love for hosting this each year. Thanks again, and we look forward to seeing everyone in 2026 when we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the event!
