Fellow Anglers and Rodeo Supporters,

On behalf of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors, I'd like to welcome you to the 78th Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo! This year, we remain committed to bringing you the largest and finest fishing tournament in the world, and we look forward to a record breaking event.

The Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo remains committed to the conservation of Marine Resources, as well as giving back to the Mobile community. We look forward to continuing our tradition of funding two graduate level scholarships in the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of South Alabama. In recent years, the ADSFR has donated nearly $120,000 to the USA Department of Marine Sciences and with the USA Foundation matching these funds; the total amount exceeds $200,000. In addition, in 2010, the ADSFR donated $2500 to the Mobile Jaycees to fund the chapter's Christmas Shopping Tour. This event provides local children with an opportunity to purchase Christmas gifts for their friends and family.

At the request of USA's Department of Marine Sciences, Dr. Bob Shipp, Dr. Sean Powers, and the State of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the ADSFR will continue to help conduct stock assessments on Red Drum. For anglers interested in participating in this assessment, we are asking that you bring to the weigh station, one and only one, outside the "slot" Red Drum during the tournament. These fish will then be turned over to USA's Department of Marine Sciences for research. Furthermore, each angler who turns in a Red Drum will have their name entered into a random drawing for special prizes which include, but are not limited to, an original painting courtesy of Yellowfin Gallery and a Cypress ceramic grill courtesy of Deep South Cooking Outfitters.

We have put together another outstanding awards package this year featuring two boat, motor, and trailer packages. We will be giving away a 21' Contender boat courtesy of Contender Boats and Boat Stuf through a random drawing of all anglers who weigh in a legal fish during the ADSFR. In addition, we'll be giving away a 17' Scout Boats 175 Sportfish courtesy of Scout Boats and Paradise Marine Center through a random drawing of all King Mackerel Jackpot entries. Once again, these boats will be outfitted with Yamaha outboard motors, Loadmaster aluminum trailers, and an Eagle Towers T-Top on the Contender Boat. A hot tub provided by Spa & Tub Manufacturers and a Tag Heuer Aquaracer watch provided by Goldstein's Jewelers will be given away through separate random drawings of all Speckled Trout Jackpot entries. A Raymarine C80 Multifunction Navigational unit and a Team Simco boat lift will be given away through separate random drawings of all Raymarine/Team Simco Big Game Jackpot entries. Our Master Angler will receive a Furuno 7" Color Chart Plotter/ Fish Combo Unit courtesy of New World Electronics, Cannon downrigger, and a Two-burner Camp Kitchen courtesy of Deep South Cooking Outfitters, bringing our total prize package close to $400,000. The Roy Martin Young Anglers Tournament, open to anglers 15 years old and younger, will be held on July 9th. Each participant will receive a Ziegler hotdog, Golden Flake potato chips, a Coca-Cola, Blue Bell ice cream, and a certificate of participation when they weigh-in their fish. The Master Angler of the Roy Martin Young Anglers Tournament will receive a $500.00 savings bond courtesy of Alabama Family Dental. In addition, one lucky participant in the Roy Martin Young Anglers tournament will have an artificial reef deployed in their name courtesy of Reefmaker Artificial Reefs through a random drawing of all participants.

I would like to thank all of the anglers, sponsors, and volunteers for their steadfast support of the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo. Special thanks go out to our boat and motor sponsors, for their support of the random boat drawings; Contender Boats, Boat Stuf, Paradise Marine, Scout Boats, Yamaha Motor Corp., Loadmaster Trailers, and Eagle Towers. I would also like to thank Goldstein's Jewelers and Spa & Tub Manufacturers for sponsoring the Speckled Trout Jackpot, Raymarine and Team Simco for sponsoring the Big Game Jackpot, Exxon/Mobil for sponsoring the Roy Martin Young Anglers Tournament, as well as Academy Sports and Outdoors, Furuno, New World Electronics, Raymarine, and Coca-Cola for their continued support. We'd also like to thank all of our friends in the local media; Jeff Dute and the Mobile Press-Register, Wayne Gardner and Sean Sullivan from FM Talk 106.5, Comcast, WNSP, WZEW, WKSJ, WNTM, WALA, WPMI, and WKRG. Finally, I would like to thank the Mobile County Commission, the Town of Dauphin Island, along with its Mayor, Jeff Collier and Town Council, the Dauphin Island Police Department, and the Mobile Jaycees.

The Executive Committee, Board of Directors, Advisors, and I thank you for your participation in the 78th Annual Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo. Good luck, safe fishing and we will see you at the weigh station.

Sincerely,

Todd Bishop

President
78th Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo