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BILOXI — The tents are in place and the fish bins are iced down as the 61st Annual Mississippi Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo opens today at Point Cadet.

Billed as the World’s Largest Fishing Rodeo, the event features saltwater categories ranging from amberjack to stingray with six additional categories in the freshwater division.

Toss in four shootouts and a kids fishing rodeo, and there’s something for all.

Fishermen may preregister for free at www.mississippideepseafishingrodeo.com. There will be an entry for the cobia, redfish, speckled trout and bass shootouts.

As far as the weather, the marine forecast from Pascagoula to the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River and out 20 nautical miles looks good.

The forecast calls for 5-to-10 knot winds with one-to-two foot waves through the weekend and a slight chance of thunderstorms.

“If we don’t get a whole lot of rain, bluewater will be on close (south of barrier islands),’’ weighmaster Mark Wright said. “If that holds true, we could see a lot of dolphin this year. We also expect sharks this year based on the high salinity levels.

“I am also getting a lot of steady calls with the shootouts, especially the specks and reds.’’

The big twists this year will be the addition of the mangrove snapper category that will replace tarpon.

“No one wants to kill tarpon,’’ Wright said. “And we, at the rodeo, don’t blame them. We might, in the future, come up with a tag and release — with photo — type of tournament. That is something we will discuss.

“The new mangrove snapper category has drawn a lot of interests. I think a lot of fishermen will discuss.’’

Scales will open each day at noon and close at 8 p.m. except on Sunday when the scales close at 3 p.m.

The Cobia Shootout is set for Saturday with scales closing at 6 p.m. On Saturday, the annual kids rodeo and Speckled rout and Redfish shootouts will unfold and the Bass Shootout is set for Sunday. A mandatory captains meeting for all shootouts will be held Thursday at 6 p.m.

Posted at www.sunherald.com on July 1, 2009

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