Fishing Derby

Friends,

It was a beautiful day at the Grist Mill Pond on Patriots Day morning, April 21, 2025. Not like the numbers in years past, but 50 kids showed up to one of the best fishing derbies around. Getting guidance from George "The Fishing Guy" Poli, young anglers did their best in a confined area where the bite was scarce, leading to the agony of a desperate attempt to pull a beautiful trout from the cool waters of Grist Mill Pond.

At the 1 hour and 40-minute mark, Griffin Sobolevski managed to land a healthy 14.5" rainbow trout! It was a task getting that fish to settle down, but Griffin finally gained control. Everyone was asking how he managed to catch the fish. Griffin said, "George the Fishing Guy told me to fish the bottom. Five minutes later, wham!"

While everyone else had a few bites but no significant catches, the end of the derby brought us to the famous banquet at the American Legion right up the street. Most who attended clinched the day for food and prizes. Chick-fil-A sandwiches were served with a side of pond weed, chips, cookies, and a drink. How awesome is that!

We would like to thank all our sponsors this year: The Grist Mill Tavern, American Legion POST 311, Chick-fil-A, Seekonk Grand Prix, Bass Pro Shops, Purple Cow, Cuzin’s Pizza, Marti’s Cupcakes, Popular Pizza, Rumford Pet, Jersey Mike’s, Angels’ Closet, Monster Golf, Spumoni’s, Tavern on the Square, and my favorite, Fam Lee Grill.

We hope you had a good time, and we will see you next year!

George and Paul