It's hard to add much to this story in today's Register. If you're into the fishing thing now is the time to head for Gulf Shores and the Alabama Gulf Coast.
Fishing tournaments lately have been turning out the records and the amazing run of great fishing is continuing. How long will it last? It's anyone's guess.
Better not wait.
Offshore fishermen enjoying bluewater bonanza
For many offshore anglers along the Gulf Coast, it just doesn't get much better than it is right now.
Records continue to fall all along the Alabama Gulf Coast as yet another fishing tournament meets with outstanding success. This year's Alabama Deep See Fishing Rodeo saw several records broken.
Anglers in last weekend's Orange Beach Billfish Classic turned in record numbers of huge fish. The great fishing off shore in the Gulf of Mexico continues. Look for even more records to fall in this weekend's Conde Cavalier Mardi Gras Fishing Tournament which will be held on nearby Dauphin Island (across Mobile Bay from Gulf Shores and Fort Morgan) at the Dauphin Island Marina.
Alabama has long been a popular spot for birders. With over 350 species commonly found in the state it's easy to see why.
Now Alabama birders have a new resource on which they can rely to assist them in their forays into the woods and fields. Birds of Alabama focuses the spotlight on Alabama birding, helping birders to locate and identify Alabama's birds.
With the success of this spring's inaugural North Alabama Birding Festival and the growing popularity of the upcoming 2006 Alabama Coastal Birdfest, this new field guide is certain to be a hit.
Condo owners in Gulf Shores are increasingly turning to a time tested way to find buyers for their Alabama Gulf Coast vaction properties: They're selling their condos at auction.
Sold! To the highest bidder
With 3,000 condominium units listed for sale on the Alabama Gulf Coast, some sellers are shedding the traditional approach in favor of auctioning their property to the highest bidder -- a process that speeds sales, but can come at the cost of a lower selling price.
Coastal Auction Co. sold three houses recently, and two had been on the market for at least six months. Two were in Terry Cove in Orange Beach -- one with two boat slips for $592,000 and one off the water for $367,000. The third property, an unfinished house in Martyn Woods in Gulf Shores, sold for $612,000.
The Orange Beach Billfish Classic gets started today with final registration and the captains meeting at the Orange Beach Marina.
The captains meeting is set for 5:30pm at Mangos Restaurant. Boats may leave after signing out at the registration table, but may not leave earlier than 9pm, when kits and tournament designator packages will be distributed. Registration forms must be filled out completely before a boat departs the marina.
Fishing begins at 5:30am on Friday morning. All lines must be out of the water at 4pm Saturday unless a fish which has already been reported to a committee boat is still being fought. Boats must pass under Perdido Pass Bridge no later than 8pm Saturday.
One of Alabama Gulf Coast's busiest airports might soon be going commercial. Currently Jack Edwards Airport serves only private flights, but if the recommendations of an engineering study are approved the airport could be accepting commercial jet traffic within 5 years.
The airport currently has about 80,000 takeoffs and landings each year. Airport officials expect that number could double, and have proposed a plan to grow the airport in response to the increased demand by Gulf Shores vacation goers, conventioneers and other visitors.
Gulf Shores considers commercial jetliners