What a great year for gulf coast billfish tournaments! The action was hot and heavy early in the summer, let’s see, about 98 degrees and 706 lbs. heavy to be exact to start out with in the Mobile memorial day event. That was followed up with another outstanding tournament in Biloxi when 1.2 million dollars, the highest purse yet on the gulf coast for 2011, was paid to the teams in our event. An estimated 3 tons of marlin were released to fight another day and more meatfish were weighed this year than anyone could remember in the past. The crowds were huge and our vendors very well pleased with the turnout. Next up, the Emerald Coast Classic had 71 teams turn out for a fantastic event and although no blue marlin were landed, the payout there was almost 1.1 million. The Bay Point Invitational also had a great tournament with huge crowds, huge fish and huge cash payouts! Rocky Jones and his Reel Addiction fishing team seemed to be near the top of the leader board at each and every tournament and he did not disappoint when he took first place with the only blue marlin in the Pensacola International 4th of July weekend. So, here we are coming up on the Orange Beach Billfish Classic next week and if things continue in the direction they have been going, the 2011 tournament season will go down in the books as one of the most successful seasons not just because they were held but because of the great weather, the incredible offshore action and participation of the many anglers, sponsors, vendors and spectators this year.