Rockport Area Happenings

Friday, May 13th to Saturday, May 14th 2016

The annual Jim Ehman Memorial Babes on the Bay fishing tournament kicks off this weekend with promises of fun in the sun and angelic anglers vying for cash prizes and bragging rights. This popular women’s only tournament attracts more than 1,200 anglers each year to the largest, one day, unrestricted tournament in the United States. Now celebrating its 17th year, this annual Rockport event provides a fantastic festival in some of the best fishing waters along the Gulf Coast.

This year as with every year, the tournament launches on Friday night with a Team Captains meeting at the fairgrounds where food vendors, a beer tent and entertainment will be available. Visitors are encouraged to walk around and take in the festivities and check out the unique, humorous and sometimes risqué team names.

Anglers compete in 5 divisions, guided and non-guided, as well as the Babe-ette division for those anglers 16 years of age or younger. Prizes will be awarded for the first 4 divisions and cash pots awarded to those teams that enter for heaviest stringer, heaviest trout and heaviest redfish with 80% to the top spot and 20% to the second place finisher for each pot.

On Saturday, fishing starts at sunrise with the weigh in at Rockport Festival Grounds from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm. The “Babes Shopping Mall” and food court will once again be open on Saturday throughout the day’s festivities. More information, including rules and regulations, can be found at the official website www.babesonthebay.com.

Are you planning to participate or attend this year’s Babes on the Bay Tournament? We’d love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments below or visit our Facebook page to let us know what you’re looking the most forward to during this weekend’s festivities. See you there!