The 93rd annual Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, billed as the largest deep sea fishing tournament in the world, came to a close Sunday evening on Dauphin Island with a cannon blast at 5 p.m. Organizers said the weekend drew a strong crowd despite afternoon rain. “We’ve had a great weekend, a great turnout,” said Cody Ward, the rodeo’s vice president of publicity. “93 years strong!”
Ward said roughly 3,800 tickets were sold over the course of the weekend, and the rain that moved through Sunday afternoon did little to dampen the mood at the docks. Anglers brought in a wide range of catches, from snapper and shark to swordfish, and organizers said the size of the fish mattered less to most participants than the experience of sharing it with family. “It does not matter how big their fish is, they always have a smile ear to ear,” Ward said. “It’s a great family event; we have all of our families out here.”
The rodeo’s full results, including the biggest catches of the weekend, were set to be announced at an awards ceremony Monday evening on the tournament grounds. The ceremony, sponsored by QCS Marine Electronics, is open to the public and caps off a weekend built around fishing, friends and family.