Fish for Families Tournament Returns to Gulf Shores Oct. 24-25, Free for Veterans and First Responders

GULF SHORES, Ala. — Veterans and first responders can fish for free, and every edible fish donated at the scales will help feed people in need in Bon Secour, when the Fish for Families tournament returns for its fifth year on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24-25.

The “Fish for Families!” Benefit Fishing Rodeo weighs in at Tacky Jacks Gulf Shores, 240 E. 24th Ave., and doubles as the fourth stop in a five-tournament, multi-species series that counts toward the Bon Secour Butchers Angler of the Year competition.

Two ways the rodeo gives back

The tournament is built around giving back to the community in two ways. First, veterans and first responders can enter at no cost. Second, the rodeo accepts any edible fish longer than 12 inches as a community donation, and those donated fish go directly toward feeding people in need in Bon Secour.

Anglers have a reason to bring those extra fish to the scales: each donated fish earns an entry into a drawing for a non-cash prize package.

Key dates and deadlines

• Registration deadline: All anglers must be registered by 4:59 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026.
• Fishing window opens: Fish must be caught after 5 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24.
• Weigh-in: 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, at Tacky Jacks Gulf Shores, 240 E. 24th Ave.
• Line cutoff: Anglers must be in line at the weigh station by 4 p.m. Sunday.

Registration and entry fees

Veterans and first responders can register for free by contacting tournament organizer Robert Walker. All other anglers pay a $30 registration fee.

Two optional jackpots are available for $10 each:

• Gator Speckled Trout jackpot: Over-slot fish are allowed; pays $100 to a single winner.
• Doormat Flounder jackpot: Pays $100 to a single winner.

Species categories and cash prizes

The rodeo has four species categories:

• “Slot” speckled trout
• “Slot” redfish
• Flounder (14-inch minimum)
• White trout (12-inch minimum)

Cash goes to the top three in each species: $150 for first place, $100 for second and $50 for third. Anglers may enter unlimited ranks, meaning one angler can sweep the tournament and take home all available cash in a single event.

The Alabama Slam and the Leopard Redfish

Two special awards add a twist. A non-cash prize goes to the angler who weighs in an “Alabama Slam,” made up of a slot speckled trout, a slot redfish and a flounder. If more than one angler completes the slam, the award goes to the one with the highest combined weight across all three fish.

Another non-cash prize is awarded for the “Leopard” redfish, the red drum brought to the scales with the most spots. Redfish typically carry a black spot near the tail, and fish with many spots are a prized catch among inshore anglers.

Door prizes and the Pirates Party

Showing up pays off even for anglers who do not catch a thing. Up to 30 door prizes will be awarded to registered anglers who attend the weigh-in, whether or not they bring a fish. Organizers said that perk is based on participation.

Before the tournament, anglers can attend a “Pirates Party” at Tacky Jacks in Gulf Shores. The first 30 anglers who sign up and attend will receive a “Booty Bag” filled with tackle from tournament sponsors.

Tournament rules

• Fishing is allowed from land, shore, pier or boat, whether motorized or non-motorized.
• Everyone on a boat must be registered for the tournament.
• Anglers may fish any public waters where the target species can be caught, within boundaries running from the Mississippi-Louisiana border in the west to U.S. Highway 331 in Florida in the east, and north to an imaginary line connecting Louisiana and Florida.
• All anglers must be registered by 4:59 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026.

Anglers who are entered in another tournament the same weekend may weigh the same fish at both events, as long as they are registered for each.

Because the boundaries cross state lines, anglers should make sure they follow the size limits, bag limits, license requirements and any seasonal closures for the waters they fish. Alabama, Mississippi and Florida each set their own saltwater rules, and Alabama has used seasonal fall closures for flounder harvest in recent years. Current Alabama regulations are available from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Marine Resources Division.

How Angler of the Year points work

The rodeo is part of the Bon Secour Butchers Angler of the Year competition, a season-long race open to anyone with a free “Slayer of Fish” membership in the Fishing Chaos app. Points are based on finish position in each species category across the five-tournament series.

The top five finishers in each species earn points:

• First place: 5 points
• Second place: 4 points
• Third place: 3 points
• Fourth place: 2 points
• Fifth place: 1 point

The Alabama Slam uses the same point structure, with bonus points for the top five anglers who complete a slam. An angler who sweeps a category by catching the three biggest fish can earn up to 12 points in a single event. Only one slam win is allowed per event, but a clean sweep across all categories is worth up to 60 points, plus five bonus points for the heaviest Alabama Slam.

With this rodeo serving as the fourth of five events, the weekend could shape the final standings heading into the series finale.

About Bon Secour

Bon Secour is an unincorporated community in south Baldwin County, along the Bon Secour River near Bon Secour Bay. Its name comes from French and is often translated as “safe harbor.” The community has deep roots in commercial fishing, shrimping and oystering, and its seafood docks and processors have long been part of the Gulf Coast’s working waterfront.

Donating fish to neighbors in need is a natural fit for a community whose identity has been shaped by the water. Speckled trout, redfish, flounder and white trout are all popular table fare along the Alabama coast.

About the weigh-in site

Tacky Jacks Gulf Shores sits on the Intracoastal Waterway and is easily reached by boat or car. The Gulf Shores restaurant opened in 2011 as the third location for the Tacky Jacks brand, which began as a bait and tackle shop on Cotton Bayou in Orange Beach more than four decades ago. The restaurant group has a history of supporting military and first responder initiatives.

Tips for a successful weekend

• Register early. The 4:59 a.m. Saturday deadline is firm, and fish caught before 5 a.m. Saturday will not count.
• Keep fish on ice. Fish headed to the scales and to a family’s table should be kept cold from the moment they are landed.
• Watch the clock Sunday. Be in line at the weigh station by 4 p.m.
• Bring extras to donate. Any edible fish over 12 inches can be donated and earns a prize entry.
• Show up even without a catch. Registered anglers at the weigh-in are eligible for up to 30 door prizes.

At a glance

• What: Fifth annual “Fish for Families!” Benefit Fishing Rodeo
• When: Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24-25, 2026
• Weigh-in: 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25; in line by 4 p.m.
• Where: Tacky Jacks Gulf Shores, 240 E. 24th Ave., Gulf Shores
• Cost: Free for veterans and first responders (contact organizer Robert Walker); $30 for all other anglers; optional $10 jackpots
• Benefits: Donated fish help feed people in need in Bon Secour