A Very SoMo Rodeo:
When most people think of the term “rodeo” they think of the sport of herding various types of cattle, but for South Mobile, it’s for fishing… serious fishing. The Gulf of Mexico is a sport fisherman’s heaven on Earth and is home to ancient shipwrecks, petroleum rigs, and aquatic life. This fine body of water provides Dauphin Island and its surrounding villages riches of culture and competitive fishing. Dauphin Island, the heart of SoMo, embraces the fishing culture and is ground zero of the largest fishing tournament in the world, the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo.
Founded in 1929, the Rodeo attracts people from all over the nation in search of the big catch and the biggest party in the South. Commonly scheduled for the third weekend in July, Thursday through Sunday, SoMo becomes one of the greatest attractions for the summer. The Rodeo kicks festivities off Thursday night with a liars contest and live entertainment to lighten the mood before the anticipated cannon-blast start the next morning. Once dawn hits Friday, anglers take the waters of SoMo and afar to find their prized possession. The heat is on, time is ticking, and competitive fishing is at an all-time high. With numerous jackpots, payouts, and categories, what was once a recreational activity now has become a challenge to beat the other angler. The adrenaline of having an unknown weight on the other end of the line electrifies the weekend and leaves a spectacle like no other.
Three Things to Know About The Biggest Party in the South:
The Rodeo now attracts over 3,000 anglers and 75,000 spectators to Dauphin Island.
It provides Dauphin Island Sea Lab with valuable scientific data on numerous species of fish and contributes to the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of South Alabama
The rodeo has also set up two scholarships in the name of Dr. Gary Nelson, who collected scientific data at the event from 1984 to 1997. During that period, over 253 species of marine life were studied and 2,577 specimens were taken for research.
All of you anglers mark your calendar for July 2021 and come party with us!
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