The best big-game anglers in the nation will join in the best tournament competition in the Gulf of Mexico during the 2023 season. From giant blue marlin to 200-pound-plus yellowfin tuna, the Alabama Gulf Coast will host numerous tournaments to showcase the fantastic fishing available in the Gulf.
The action starts with The Invitational in Orange Beach, the newest event on the Alabama Gulf Coast. The invitation-only event will pit 30 of the top boats in the Gulf for a winner-take-all $1 million prize during the competition, set for May 11. Weigh-ins will be at The Wharf Marina and are free to the public.
The following weekend is the Orange Beach Billfish Classic (OBBC), set for May 16-21 at The Wharf Marina. The family-run OBBC is unique among billfish tournaments on the northern Gulf Coast and promotes big-game fishing and billfish conservation. The TBF was founded to preserve bluewater species like marlin, sailfish, spearfish, and swordfish and is the largest tournament donor to The Billfish Foundation (TBF) worldwide. The event donates 100 percent of the net profits to TBF and other qualified 501(c)(3) conservation organizations. Since its inception in 1996, the tournament has donated over $800,000 to TBF.
The OBBC kicks off the 2023 Alabama Gulf Coast tournament fishing season and is one of the 10 Gulf Coast tournaments qualifying for the Gulf Coast Triple Crown Championship Series.
Next up on the calendar is the Gulf Coast Masters, the Mobile Big Game Fishing Club’s (MBGFC) Memorial Day tournament, set for May 22-28 at Orange Beach Marina. Fishing begins after a shotgun start at 10 am on May 26, and the scales at the MBGFC dock will be open from 3 pm to 8 pm on Friday and Saturday.
If you’re looking for a “family fishing” event, consider heading to the Alabama Gulf Coast’s world-famous Flora-Bama for the Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo, set for June 9-11, with weigh-ins at Flora-Bama’s Ole River Grill. Anglers can compete in 30 categories, from gaff-topsail catfish to red snapper and yellowfin tuna.
Young anglers will compete July 7-8 during the Annual MBGFC Junior Angler Tournament. They’ll set sail from the Orange Beach Marina and weigh in 7 pm on Saturday evening.
The Gulf Coast Triple Crown champions are crowned after the series finale, the Blue Marlin Grand Championship, set for July 12-16, also at The Wharf Marina. Categories include blue marlin weighed, catch and release, tuna, dolphin, and wahoo.
The Orange Beach Open comes to The Wharf Marina August 3-5. Like the Billfish Classic, this tournament is held with conservation in mind. The blue marlin category is catch-and-release fish only, and trolling artificial lures for marlin is prohibited. However, anglers can use natural bait and artificial lures for tuna, wahoo, and dolphin. Boats will leave on Thursday, and the final weigh-in will be Saturday at the marina.
Rounding out the big game tournament season is Mobile Big Game Fishing Club’s Labor Day Invitational scheduled for August 31- September 4 at the club’s Orange Beach Marina facility.
If you’re ready to join in on the fishing fun, plan your next trip to Alabama’s beaches!
