Gulf Coast Fisherman Newsletter

Issue 7, July 2018

This ain’t our first Rodeo

On the Mississippi/Alabama Gulf Coast, summertime is synonymous with “rodeo season” – but we aren’t talking about roping cattle. In this month’s newsletter, we’ll give you the scoop on the biggest saltwater fishing tournaments in Mississippi and Alabama.

The Mississippi Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo (MDSFR) is located at Jones Park in Gulfport, MS, and is hosted by its board of directors, led by President Richard Valdez. In 1948, captain Horace Towell dreamt the first MDSFR into existence, and it was hosted annually by the American Legion through 1957. In 1953, the MDSFR was designated as the State’s Official Fishing Event, and since then, the first week of July has been named “Mississippi Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo Days” by all of the Mississippi governors. Since its inception, the rodeo was always held in Gulfport; however, the specific site has varied through the years, from the Jessup Brothers Tent, to the Ringling Brothers Circus Tent, to Rice Pavilion.

Today’s MDSFR draws over 3,000 registrants annually. The University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory scientists take data and biological samples from the rodeo fish each year. The MDSFR consists of 24 categories including both inshore and offshore species, as well as a shark category (minimum length requirement is 54 inches) and a speckled trout shootout. Registration is free for all anglers. This year’s rodeo features over $65,000 in cash and prizes, along with the biggest prizes ever: $25,000 apiece for anglers who break state records for tiger shark (390 lbs) and southern stingray (158 lbs, 1.6 oz).

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