The Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo is officially underway: what to know

The Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo is officially underway: what to know centers on the start of the 93rd annual tournament on Dauphin Island. At 5 a.m. Friday, a ceremonial cannon blast marked the event’s kickoff, with tournament vice president of publicity Cody Ward saying organizers expect strong participation. The rodeo runs nearly a century as a long-running tradition along the Alabama Gulf Coast, including family rituals such as twins Allie Tarver and Emma Tarver blasting off with their grandfather for more than a decade. Ward said there are more than 30 categories to compete, including 33 open categories, and more than $500,000 in prizes. The competition continues throughout the weekend and wraps up Sunday afternoon with another cannon blast, mirroring how it began.