ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — It goes without saying that 2010 has been an uneventful year for the Mobile Big Game Fishing Club.

Due to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the group that normally holds five fishing tournaments per year, including an annual Memorial Day tournament as well as an annual ladies tournament, was forced to cancel four of them. The good news is, the 44th Annual Labor Day Invitational is a “go.”

Board members for the Mobile Big Game Fishing Club decided due to recent opening and planned opening of local federal waters, to hold the 2010 Labor Day tournament as planned.

“We just feel lucky to be able to have this tournament,” said board member Bennett Long. “Folks are just wanting to get out there and fish, and while we have a restricted area, there is still plenty of water open for fishing.”

According to Long, the annual tournament will normally have 100 to 110 boats with as many as 750 anglers participating.

“Right now we have 40 boats pre-registered, and while we don’t expect to have the usual amount of participation, we are hoping for 60 to 75 boats,” Long said.

Hosted by the Orange Beach Marina, registration begins Friday at 4 p.m. with a cash bar at 5:30, buffet dinner at 6 p.m. and the Captains’ meeting to begin promptly at 8 p.m.

On Saturday, the weigh dock opens 5-9 p.m. and on Sunday, all boats participating must return inside Perdido Pass  by 8 p.m.

The event also includes a champions breakfast on Monday morning at 9:30 a.m.

Orange Beach Marina is home to Palms Bar and Grille and Calypso’s, two restaurants highly recommended and featured in Southern Living.  There is also on-site boat and yacht sales, brokerage, engine repair, fishing charters and a dockstore.

Instructions for the weigh dock as well as tournament rules and registration information can be viewed at www.mbgfc.org.