XI. Pinka Valley Fish Day – Competition, flavors and community on an unforgettable day
On July 12, 2025, Vaskeresztes came back to life, hosting one of the region's most colorful events, the Pinka Valley Fishing Day, for the eleventh time. The day was a celebration of fishing, gastronomy, entertainment, and community - with hundreds of participants, enthusiastic competitors, and mouth-watering fish dishes.
Following the registration for the fishing competition , Norbert Puskás, the executive president of the Vas County Association of Sport Fishing Associations, welcomed those present in his opening speech, and then Milán Tóth, the competition organization coordinator , explained the course of the competition and highlighted the most important rules and information. After the early morning opening, 40 competitors started fishing at three different fishing locations.
The atmosphere and the weather were excellent – the competitors cast their hooks in good spirits in the quiet, sunny weather of the waterfront. Fish were caught in the first few hours, but of the three courses, the youth anglers were the most active.
After the fishing competition, nearly 30 teams started the cooking competition on the shore of the Alpine Fishing Lake, where the pots were simmering, the aromas were spreading, and even before the first bites you could feel: a special culinary experience awaits everyone. The cooking teams received their unit packages from our colleague who coordinates the fish dish competitions, Judit Polgárné Németh, and the economic manager, Etelka Bíró . The competitors measured their skills in two categories: fish soup makers and fish dish makers. The offer was amazing this year as well: in addition to classic fried fish and delicious fish stew, real specialties awaited gourmets. In addition to the sublime aroma of smoked trout, juicy pike stew and crispy fried catfish, specialties such as fish pancakes with fish chips or oven-baked fish Neapolitan pizza were also served. The aroma of catfish paprikash, catfish-stuffed cabbage, homemade fish meatballs - and many other creative dishes - filled the entire area, transforming the lakeside bustle into a true gastronomic feast.
Shortly after the noon bell, at 12:30, curious eyes gathered at the jury table amidst the steam of simmering cauldrons and tempting aromas: this is when the judging of the cooking competition, combined with food tasting, began. The beautifully presented fish dishes were served one after another to the judges, who had a difficult job this year as well – the diversity of flavors, aromas, textures and creative solutions posed a real challenge.
The Balaton Fish Farming Co. cooked the famous fish soup made from the EU-protected carp, the “ Balaton fish” , in a huge cauldron. At their stand, Ferenc Fodor, fish production director, revealed the secret of the perfect fish soup: “Good fish, good paprika – these are the two most important things. The real mixed fish soup is made from three to five types of fish, and the base is simple: fish, water, paprika, salt, onion. The key is in the proportions.”
The young dancers of the Vaskeresztesi Tradition Keepers opened the program on the stage of Halas Nap this year as well. Every year they stand before the audience with more courage and skill – it is a joy to watch them grow up with the event and move more and more comfortably on stage.
After the competitions were over, the results were announced. The official stage greetings of the 11th Pinka Valley Fishing Day were started by the mayor of Vaskeresztes, Tamás Krancz , who welcomed the guests on behalf of the settlement and praised the community-building significance of the event.
Following the welcome speech from the town, Miklós Seregi , president of the Vas County Association of Sport Fishing Associations, took the microphone and, as host, expressed his joy that so many of us had probably never been here on the Fishing Day before and thanked his colleagues for the work they had done to make today possible.
Then, the chief patron of the event, Chief Zoltán Vámos, greeted those present, saying in his speech: “I am happy to come because this is more than a gastronomic event. I have been here before, and my little son asked when we are going to the fishing uncles again – he felt so good. Here, a whole family can spend a day in nature, together, in the fresh air, with delicious fish dishes. This community experience is important, and supporting fishing tourism is also important to me. That is why I was happy to accept the chief patronship.” The chief was particularly pleased to mention that the Government Office team also competed and enriched the day with their own dishes – fish soup and catfish paprika. The dish was made based on a traditional recipe that they inherited from a colleague’s grandmother. “This is a great team building for us too,” he added, encouraging everyone to participate in the program in the future.
He was followed by László Majthényi , the president of the Vas County Assembly , who is now traditionally the permanent patron of the event. In his welcome speech, he spoke with appreciation of the work of the organizers and the enthusiastic community that brings this unique event to life every year. He said: This year, the Fish Day offered the usual, friendly atmosphere and meaningful community experience in Vaskeresztes. The event is a great example of how gastronomy can be combined with a community experience, nature-based programs and the preservation of traditions. He spoke with appreciation of the partnership that was established between the Association and the Vas County Government and resulted in the continuous development of the Vas waters over the past 10 years, and that a fishing tourism project worth nearly 200 million forints is currently being implemented.
Before the announcement of the results, Norbert Puskás , the executive chairman of the organizing association, also took the floor to thank all those who contributed to the success of the event and the many people who visited the event. At the end of his speech, he remembered this year, as well, those colleagues who have been helping to implement the Fish Day for the tenth time. A small gift was presented and a big round of applause from the audience: host Nóra Perlaki, organizer Judit Polgárné Németh, chef Miklós Bősz.
On behalf of the jury, Zsolt Szári , CEO of Balatoni Halgazdáklosti Zrt., member of the board of MOHOSZ, summarized the quality of the dishes and highlighted the best dishes. He praised the creativity of the competitors and the variety of fish dishes created this year.
Finally, the results were announced, which were as follows:
1st place: Tógazda Marcali – Danube-style fish soup
2nd place: Püspökpuszta Pike Stew – Danube-style fish soup
3rd place: Vas County Fisheries Authority – Fish soup with dumplings
The Danube-style fish soup was particularly popular, but the dumpling version also surprised many.
1st place: Ikervár Fishing Association – Fish pancakes with chips
2nd place: Pork Chops – Spicy Hortobágy Fish Pancakes
3rd place: Vasvári Anglers – Catfish with paprika noodles
This is where the creativity really showed! The fish pancakes were a particular hit.
- Tógazda Zalaszentgrót – Fried fish dish
- Pinka-Fish – Smoked trout
- Fish Guard Team – Mixed Fish Platter
The fishing competition took place in three categories. The results among the hobby fishermen were extremely close – only a few decagrams decided the podium places!
🥇 Gábor Tuboly (Kerkaszentkirályi HE) – 4230 g
🥈 Károly Prelogh (Kerkaszentkirályi HE) – 4130 g
🥉 László Horváth (Körmendi Munkás HE) – 4080 g
There were also exciting battles among professional anglers.
🥇 Norbert Misák (Répcelaki HE) – 4820 g
🥈 Kristóf Csapó (Sopron and Region HE) – 3860 g
🥉 Attila Vámos (Spartacus HE) – 3650 g
One of the biggest surprises of the day came in the youth field:
🥇 Buthi Benjámin (Répcelaki HE) – 25,980 g (!!) This catch was an outstanding achievement in itself, far surpassing even the results of the adult field.
🥈Máté Mészáros (Rábapaty and Surroundings HE) – 8800 g
🥉 Hanna Firisz (Répcelaki HE) – 7740 g
The special award for the “Youngest Fishing Princess” went to Dóra Mészáros, who, despite her young age, earned this affectionate title with a catch of 1940 g!
In the second half of the day, Fish Day turned into a real cultural cavalcade: the oriental charm of the MIRA Orient Art dance show fascinated the audience.
Magician Jonathan Nagy's interactive production enchanted all ages, and the children were treated to pony rides, bouncy castles, and skill games.
Adults were able to get acquainted with the wines of Mittl Winery, while the TackleBait fishing shop presented new equipment to those interested, and two lucky children were able to take home a piece of equipment courtesy of the company.
The concert of the Golden Gate Orchestra invited families on a musical journey, every moment of which was joyful and intimate.
The raffle draw began at 6:40 PM, with an excited crowd waiting to see what the prizes would be. The rich raffle prizes made many people's day even more memorable.
Then the stage was taken over by the band Die Lausbuben, who filled the evening with Swabian brass party music. The good mood, dancing and shared experiences were a worthy end to the day.
On behalf of the organizers, a huge thank you goes to the nearly 2000 visitors who graced the event with their presence. We are grateful to the Hungarian National Fishing Association for supporting the event, to the anglers, the cooking teams, the performers, the volunteers, our colleagues and the caterers for putting on another high-quality Fish Day together.
This day was not only about competition, but also about togetherness, joy, and smiles. The Pinka Valley and the fishing community of Vas once again showed what a fantastic communal power lies in the natural values of Vas, as well as in the community-building power of fishing and fish consumption.
See you next year at the XII. Fishing Day! Until then, we wish you many beautiful fishing experiences, delicious fish dishes and lots of laughter in your everyday life! We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the successful preparation and organization of the eleventh Pinka Valley Fishing Day, as well as for the many positive feedback!
More pictures are available here:
1. Martina Varga's pictures: (538 pieces) >>>
2. Pictures of colleagues and volunteers: (136 pieces) >>>
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