A cannon blast echoes across Dauphin Island. Boats scatter into the Gulf. For the next three days, thousands of anglers – families, first-timers, and hardcore offshore crews alike – race to weigh the heaviest fish across 33 categories. Welcome to the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo (ADSFR), the oldest and largest saltwater fishing tournament in the United States.
Whether you want to compete for a new Contender bay boat, weigh a Speckled Trout for bragging rights, or watch 500 lb Sharks on the scales while live music plays, this guide covers everything you need to plan your rodeo weekend.
What Is the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo?
Picture over 4,000 anglers spread across the Gulf, all chasing the same goal: claiming the heaviest fish in one of 33 categories before the weigh station closes.
That’s the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo (ADSFR) every July on Dauphin Island – a three-day saltwater tournament that’s been running since 1929. This makes it one of the oldest fishing competitions in the country. Tens of thousands of spectators show up too, drawn by the weigh-ins, the music, and the scale of the whole event.
The rodeo gives captains free rein to fish wherever they think the bite is best within the approved Gulf waters – there’s no fixed course or single target species. That flexibility is part of why the category list is so broad: inshore staples like Speckled Trout and Flounder sit alongside offshore heavyweights like King Mackerel and Blue Marlin, with a Most Unusual Species award and a Lionfish category rounding things out.
The rodeo is organized by the Mobile Jaycees and headquartered at the official rodeo site on Dauphin Island (531 Lemoyne Dr). Watching costs nothing – spectators are welcome free of charge.
History of the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo
Long before Guinness World Records recognized the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo as the world’s largest fishing tournament, it had already become a Gulf Coast institution. That recognition came in 2011, when 2,220 anglers competed despite rough weather.
The rodeo traces its roots to 1928, when a group of Mobile businessmen decided to turn a fishing trip into an organized tournament. With support from Alabama State Game and Fisheries Commissioner I.T. Quinn, the first event was held at Fort Gaines Pier in 1929, attracting 260 anglers.
As participation grew, the Mobile Junior Chamber of Commerce, today’s Mobile Jaycees, took over organizing the tournament in 1948 and has run it ever since.
The ADSFR has also played an important role in marine science. Since the 1980s, researchers have used the tournament to study Gulf fish populations, a partnership that continues today through the University of South Alabama and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab.
The event also gained national attention in 1998 when John McPhee featured it in The New Yorker.
When Is the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo in 2026?
The 93rd Annual ADSFR runs Friday, July 17 through Sunday, July 19, 2026. Rodeo weekend is actually a five-event stretch that begins a week before the main competition with the Roy Martin Young Anglers Tournament.
Here’s the full 2026 schedule:
| Event | Date | Key Times |
|---|---|---|
| 68th Roy Martin Young Anglers Tournament | July 11 | 5:00 a.m. start; weigh station 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| Captain T-Bone’s Liar’s Contest (presented by Columbia PFG) | July 16 | Sign-ups 5:00 p.m.; contest starts 6:00 p.m.; live music from Bruce Smelley Band 7:30–10:00 p.m. |
| ADSFR Fishing Day 1 | July 17 | Cannon blast 5:00 a.m.; weigh station 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.; Mustache The Band 7:30–10:15 p.m. |
| ADSFR Fishing Day 2 | July 18 | Weigh station 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.; Ryan Balthrop 5:00–7:00 p.m. |
| ADSFR Fishing Day 3 | July 19 | Weigh station 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Channing Spicer 12:30–2:00 p.m.; Kat Deal 2:30–5:00 p.m.; cannon blast close 5:00 p.m.; random prize drawings follow |
| Awards Ceremony | July 20 | 6:00 p.m. |
Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo Entry Fees and Divisions
Base Entry Fee
The base ticket to compete in the open rodeo is $60 per angler. This gets you into all 33 standard categories. Every angler who weighs in a legal fish goes automatically into the grand prize boat drawing.
Jackpot Levels and Categories
On top of the base ticket, optional jackpots let you compete for bigger cash and prizes in specific categories.
Here’s the official 2026 pricing:
- Big Game Jackpot: $400 per boat
- King Mackerel Jackpot: $250 per boat
- Speckled Trout Jackpot: $40 per angler
- Shark Jackpot: $40 per angler
- Red Snapper Jackpot: $60 per angler
- Swordfish Jackpot: $400 per boat
The CCA Alabama Live Weigh-In is a special awards category covering Speckled Trout, Flounder, Redfish, and Tripletail.
There’s also a Return ‘Em Right photo category, where anglers submit a photo of an eligible reef fish on a descending device to promote responsible release practices.
Spectators don’t pay anything. Admission to the rodeo site is free.
Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo Prize Money
The ADSFR’s prize structure is one of the biggest draws. The total package is around $1 million in cash and prizes, anchored by a boat, motor, and trailer package that anyone who weighs a legal fish is eligible to win.
Grand Prize
The grand prize is a Contender bay boat with a Yamaha 250 HP outboard and LoadMaster trailer. The winner is selected through a random drawing from all participants who weigh in a legal fish. That means a pier angler weighing a small White Trout has the same shot as a crew hauling in a Blue Marlin.
Jackpot Prizes
| Jackpot | Top Prize |
|---|---|
| King Mackerel Jackpot | Cash payout scaled to the number of entries. |
| Speckled Trout Jackpot | Yamaha 70 HP outboard to the winner |
| Red Snapper Jackpot | Cash payouts for 1st–10th place |
| Shark Jackpot | Cash split between Bull Shark and Tiger Shark categories, 1st–5th |
| Swordfish Jackpot | Cash, with payout scaled to entries |
| Big Game Jackpot | Cash plus random drawings for electronics and gear |
Prizes are also awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in all 33 standard categories. The Most Unusual Species category returns with a top prize of $250, sponsored by USA Marine Sciences.
Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo Rules and Eligibility
Point system
Most of the rodeo’s 33 categories – 15 inshore, 18 offshore – are decided the simple way: heaviest legal fish above the category’s minimum size wins. There’s no cumulative scoring pitting one species against another, with one exception – the Master Angler award, which goes to the angler judged to have turned in the most impressive overall performance across categories.
Tarpon and Billfish work differently, and both use an actual points system. A qualifying Tarpon (78″ minimum) earns points by the pound if weighed in, but anglers can also release a Tarpon for a flat points award instead of bringing it to the scale. Billfish follow a similar logic: a legal Blue Marlin scores points per pound if weighed, or a flat points total if released, while White Marlin, Sailfish, and Spearfish can only be scored as releases – none of the three may be brought to the dock.
Every release in these categories has to be backed up with video clearly showing the angler, the tackle, and the fish’s fins for species identification.
Fishing Format
The ADSFR is a Captain’s Choice tournament. Captains choose their route, fishing grounds, and target species within approved Gulf waters. Competition opens with a cannon blast at 5:00 a.m. Friday and ends with a second cannon blast at 5:00 p.m. Sunday.
The weigh station operates 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Participants must deliver all fish to the weigh station during those hours.
Key Rules
Every boat must carry a copy of the official rules, and it’s on each participant to know them. All fish must be caught within the rodeo’s specified waters and brought to (or reported from) the weigh station during its posted hours. Undersized or improperly handled fish risk disqualification, though the exact consequence depends on the specific rule broken, so it’s worth reading the full rulebook rather than assuming one outcome.
There’s also a polygraph requirement built into the rules: the Master Angler winner and every first-place Jackpot finisher (Big Game, Swordfish, King Mackerel, Red Snapper, Shark, and Speckled Trout), along with the grand-prize boat winner, must pass a polygraph exam before the prize is awarded. Refusing, or failing, means disqualification.
Marine science has a real presence at the rodeo too. Dr. Sean Powers, chair of the University of South Alabama’s Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, has long advised the ADSFR on Gulf fisheries conservation, and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab sets up on-site each year to collect scientific data from the fish brought to the scales.
Licensing Requirements
All persons fishing in saltwater areas of Alabama must have saltwater fishing license. If you’re fishing from a licensed charter, your boat typically covers the license – but verify this with your captain before heading out.
Boats fishing federally managed Billfish or Swordfish categories may be subject to NOAA HMS (Highly Migratory Species) permitting requirements. Check the current regulations before competing.
Rules can change, so always check with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) before heading out.
How to Enter the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo
Registration for the 93rd ADSFR is available online at adsfr.com and at local retail locations in the Mobile and Gulf Shores area. On-site ticket sales open Thursday, July 16 at noon and run through the 5:00 a.m. cannon blast on Friday. You have to purchase the Jackpot tickets separately.
The RMYAT is open to all anglers 15 years old and younger. Tickets cost $5 and are available at all ADSFR ticket locations and on-site the morning of the tournament.
Don’t own a boat? You can book a charter.
You don’t need your own vessel to fish the rodeo. Dauphin Island fishing charters run trips during rodeo weekend, and many captains are experienced rodeo participants who know exactly where to find fish worth weighing.
With hundreds of boats available for chartering in the area, you’ll most certainly find the right fit. Just make sure to book early – rodeo weekend is the busiest time of year on the island.
Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo Notable Winners and Records
The ADSFR has produced record-breaking catches and memorable moments for nearly a century. Here are some highlights from recent editions.
2025 – Big Trout and Red Snapper Dominate
At the 92nd edition, Krueger Heins won the Red Snapper category with a 32.28-pound fish. Renowned Shark angler Ray Crumbley took the Tiger Shark category with a 690.8-pounder, though no records fell. Jeffrey Gates of the Get Layed Fishing Team out of Fairhope was the proud owner a 55.6-pound King Mackerel. His fish won the Southern Response Services King Mackerel Jackpot by more than nine pounds.
2024 – State-Record Bull Shark
The 91st edition delivered the rodeo’s biggest headline in years. The Bon Secour Butchers team, fishing aboard “The Orca,” landed a 494.5-pound Bull Shark on Dauphin Island. The catch set a new Alabama state record, surpassing the previous 448-pound mark from 2015. The team earned $6,000 for first place in the Gulf Coast Hauling & Construction Bull Shark Jackpot. That year’s rodeo drew 3,734 angler participants and weighed 3,243 fish.
2022 – Shark Category Returns
The 89th Annual ADSFR marked the return of the Shark category after a seven-year absence. Fisheries experts including Dr. Marcus Drymon of Mississippi State University and Dr. Sean Powers of the University of South Alabama determined that local Shark populations were stable enough for regulated harvest. James Mullek-Russell topped the reinstated category with a 674.2 lb Tiger Shark.
All-Time Tournament Record
In 2011, 2,220 anglers showed up in miserable weather. That turnout earned the rodeo official recognition from Guinness World Records as the largest fishing tournament in the world. The record still stands today.
Roy Martin Young Anglers Tournament
A week before the main rodeo takes over Dauphin Island, it’s the kids’ turn. The 68th Roy Martin Young Anglers Tournament (RMYAT) runs Saturday, July 11. The entire tournament is for anglers 15 and under – more than 1,500 of them show up most years, making it one of the larger kids’ fishing tournaments on the Gulf Coast.
For $5, a young angler gets entry into all 32 categories, each paying out 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, plus a Master Angler title for the tournament’s top overall performer. Every participant who checks in walks away with a certificate, a hot dog, and an ice cream – win or not. Awards go out at a ceremony right after weigh-in closes.
Every dollar raised goes to the Mobile Jaycees’ Children’s Christmas Shopping Tour.
Captain T-Bone’s Liar’s Contest and the Spectator Experience
You don’t have to fish to enjoy rodeo weekend. ADSFR’s own materials put spectator turnout anywhere from 75,000 to over 100,000 a year. Either way, it’s one of the bigger crowds Dauphin Island sees all summer, and they’re there for the atmosphere as much as the fish.
The festivities kick off July 16, with Captain T-Bone’s Liar’s Contest, presented by Columbia PFG. Sign-ups open at 5:00 p.m., the contest itself starts at 6:00 p.m., and rodeo ticket holders take the stage to spin their best – or worst – fish tales for a panel of judges. Live music from the Bruce Smelley Band picks up around 7:30 p.m. and runs to 10 p.m.
During the rodeo itself, the weigh station at 531 Lemoyne Dr is the heart of the action. Watching a crane hoist a 600 lb Tiger Shark onto the scales is something you won’t forget. On-site you’ll also find food vendors, merchandise (the iconic rodeo T-shirts sell out fast), shopping, and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s fish display, where marine science volunteers showcase and explain the species brought to the scales.
Live music plays all three days on the Joe Bullard Stage: Mustache The Band on Friday night, Ryan Balthrop on Saturday, and Channing Spicer and Kat Deal on Sunday.
If you’re planning to attend as a spectator, arrive early to grab parking, and bring sunscreen, a hat, and plenty of water – it’s mid-July on the Gulf Coast. The tournament itself wraps up with a cannon blast at 5:00 p.m. Sunday, followed by random prize drawings, but the formal Awards Ceremony – where the Contender boat and other top prizes are handed out – is a separate event held the following evening, July 20.
The live leaderboard at adsfr.com lets you follow along even if you can’t make it to the island.
Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo FAQs
If you’re thinking about fishing the 93rd Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo – or just want to experience Dauphin Island’s fishing during the most electric weekend of the year – FishingBooker can help you find the right charter. Browse Dauphin Island fishing charters, filter by trip type and group size, and find the right fit for your crew.
The concept and outline of this article were created by people engaged by FishingBooker. Artificial intelligence tools were used to flesh out and reformat information into a blog article. Before being published, this article was edited and fact-checked by FishingBooker staff.
The post Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo 2026: Tournament Dates, Fees, Prizes, Rules, and How to Fish and Watch appeared first on FishingBooker Blog.
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