Corpus Christi Fish Fryers going strong more than three decades later
Group puts on some of the region’s biggest fish fry events.
For more than 32 years, the Corpus Christi Fryers have been running fish fries around the region, preparing everything from heaping pans of crunchy Icelandic cod to the from-scratch sides they serve with it.
Not using prepackaged food has helped these fish fries stand out over the years, with a personal touch that you can taste.
The Corpus Christi Fryers were formed by a collection of parents who banded together in 1990 over deepfried, golden, flaky fish as a way to fund the athletic association at Corpus Christi School, ensuring that all students who wanted to play sports at the school could play. For the first decade, the group did one or two fish fries a year, but expanded over the years to help other parishes and events in the community.
Jim Rougier, one of the group’s founders, says taking time to create special side dishes, including baked beans, cole slaw and mac and cheese, is something his group prides itself on.
The Icelandic cod the group uses has been caught in deep, cold water — the colder the water, the better the fish. The coating is simple enough to give the fish a crispy crust while not taking away from the flavor.
Just as it takes a school of fish to feed the hungry throngs of guests, it takes an army of cooks to get the food ready. Chuck Szabo, Jim Rougier, Charlie Helldoerfer, Ron Finke, George Eaton and Al Beach are all original fryers, along with John Keferl, Zachary Rougier, Bobby Menker, Bill Evans, Matt Roll, Steve Timmer, Steve Stockelman, Jon Boeckman and Father Jim Schutte.
“Chuck Szabo, who was president of the Corpus Christi Athletic Association, said,’Let’s have a fish fry so that we can fund our sports programs.’ To our amazement, the fish fries were very successful and we were able to achieve our goal,” said Rougier. “Every member of the Corpus Christi Fryers are volunteers. We do not get paid to do a fish fry. We are just of bunch of people that love to put on a fish fry. We always enjoy ourselves and have a great time while
‘The prep work is the most important part of a fish fry. We will start preparing for a fry, depending of the size, some six hours before the start time of the fry. All of us prepare the food, serve the food and clean up after the fry is over.’ Jim Rougier Corpus Christi Fryers
doing a fish fry. The only payment we get are the memories that we take with us that will last a lifetime.”
Rougier estimates his group will fry around 2,500 to 3,000 pounds of fish this season.
“Many people do not see the work before or after a fish fry. All they see is the event itself. The fryers cooking fish, serving the food, listening to the music and, of course, seeing the tremendous amount of fun we are having while the fish fry is happening,” said Rougier. “The prep work is the most important part of a fish fry. We will start preparing for a fry, depending of the size, some six hours before the start time of the fry. All of us prepare the food, serve the food and clean up after the fry is over.”
Their sides include fries, cole slaw, baked beans, mac and cheese and homemade desserts that perfectly complement the piles of crispy, flaky, delicious fried fish that will be served up thanks to quality ingredients and smart preparation. Each year, the largest event the Corpus Christi Fryers put on is the CJ Alumni Fish Fry, happening on March 18 this year.
“We prepare all the food in their kitchen, bring in extra fryers, and call in our extra volunteers to make the fry work,” said Rougier. “We usually serve around 800 to 1,100 people. We cook, depending on the size, some 500 to 800 pounds of fish. This is by far the biggest fish fry we do.”
The fish fry the group will do on March 4 at DECA Prep Activity Center will be special.
“This fish fry has changed over the last two years. Since the death of Ann Szabo, Chuck Szabo’s wife, in September of 2021. We have renamed it to the Ann Moore Szabo Scholarship Fund & Future Stars Of Dayton fish fry. Ann’s husband, Chuck, started a memorial scholarship fund at Chaminade-Julienne High School in her memory. The money raised at this fish fry will benefit students attending Chaminade-Julienne to offset their tuition. Part of the money we raise will go towards the Future Stars of Dayton,” said Rougier. “Future Stars Of Dayton is a mentoring program for boys and girls in the Dayton area focused on teaching respect, independence, creativity and morals to help them become noble men and women.” About 800 people attended the fish fry in 2022.
Fish fries like these, that have been going on for decades with an army of dedicated volunteers, are a testament to the enduring power of community. They are meals that celebrate the connection we have with one another. They are celebrations of the beautiful, simple stories of our neighbors trying to invest in their kids, in their churches and in good causes through their time and energy.
The story of Jim Rougier and his merry band of Corpus Christi Fish Fryers is one that has helped shape our town and made it better. It is so much more than a meal, it is a beautiful shared history of volunteerism, purpose and deliciously liberating generosity.
In this season of Lent, whether you observe or not, it’s certainly something to be thankful for.
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