If you are a true sports fan and you happen to live in Alabama, there are three events that you need to put on your bucket list.

Two speak for themselves.

First, attend a NASCAR race at Talladega.

Second, attend an Iron Bowl game.

Third, and central to this treatise, is either fish in or visit in person the weigh-in at the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo.

Why, you ask, is this such an event? For starters, it is officially the largest fishing tournament in the world.

Let that sink in for a minute. The biggest in the entire world.

How big, you also ask, is it?

Annually it attracts more than 3,800 fisherpersons who will battle in 33 categories. More than half a million dollars in cash and prizes will be awarded to the winners.

And as for big, consider that some 100,000 people will turn out over the span of the three-day event.

It’s been a few years since I wet a line in the rodeo. I had my fill of it back in the day.

But I still love it, and it continues to make me hungry. I see a load of fresh fish and I’m thinking not of trophies, but of what’s for supper.

As is my custom this time of year, I will now offer a few tried-and-true ways to enjoy the bounty of our shimmering seas and hopefully make you hungry in the process.

It’s a misconception that you need some huge boat with multiple engines to participate in the rodeo. Some of the best fish can be caught from a pier or the bank with nothing more than a hook and some bait.

This is a recipe from one of my most cherished resources, the excellent “Tribute” that was penned by the late May Ladnier Tillman. It is very easy to make and a great way to enjoy one of the more abundant fish found in and around Alabama’s seashore.

Redfish Pontchartrain

6 servings

• 6 redfish steaks at least 1 inch thick and deboned
• 1 cup white crabmeat
• 8 large mushrooms, sliced
• ½ cup green onions, minced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 stick butter, divided
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 lemon wedges, garnish

Melt ½ stick of butter and add lemon juice. Salt and pepper fish on both sides and place in a shallow baking dish. Saturate fish with half of the butter mixture.

Pace under broiler about 3 inches from heat; broil for 10 minutes.

While redfish is broiling, saute mushrooms, onion and crabmeat in the remaining ½ stick of butter. Set aside

After 10 minutes, turn fish pieces over in pan; brush with remainder of the butter/lemon sauce and return to oven. Broil for 5 more minutes; remove from oven and cover with crab mixture.

Broil for an additional five minutes or until golden brown. Serve with lemon wedges.

Flounder is also one of the more abundant forms of seafood found in the verdant waters of the Gulf of Mexico. They are also fun to catch, and a total joy to eat.

Here is a recipe that has been in my arsenal a long, long time. It was sent in by a reader whose name is now lost to the ages.

Grilled Flounder

4-6 servings

• 2 pounds flounder fillets
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Coat a piece of heavy-duty foil with cooking spray. Place fillets on foil and brush with lemon juice.

Crimp foil, forming edges. Place foil flat on the grill, but do not seal. Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 4 minutes.

Combine Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, onions and salt; brush over fillets. Grill 3-4 minutes longer or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Finally, one of the first things that you learn when you go fishing is that they call it “fishing” instead of “catching” for a very good reason. Sadly, even the best anglers sometimes come home empty handed.

But don’t fret. In that case, you simply take the next logical step: Eat the bait.

Fortunately, one of the best forms of bait for saltwater fish is shrimp. So, a good practice is to buy more shrimp than you need so that even if you get skunked on the water you can at least feed the family when you get home.

This recipe is from a great seafood cookbook by a woman who lived for a time on Dauphin Island. It’s entitled “Wimberly Cooks” by Wimberly Hory.

Shrimp Alfredo

• 5 green onions, chopped
• 2 cups mushrooms, chopped
• 2 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 stick butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Salt, to taste
• 8 ounces pasta (I like linguine)
• ¾ cup Romano cheese, grated
• ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup parsley, chopped

Sauté onions, mushrooms and garlic in ½ stick of butter and oil. Add shrimp and sauté until pink. Season with salt to taste.

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. In a saucepan, melt remaining ½ stick of butter and add cheese and cream. Mix well and combine with shrimp mixture. Top with chopped parsley and serve.

So, if you find yourself in the vicinity of Dauphin Island on July 18-20, I encourage you to stop by and see what all the fuss is about at the 92nd annual Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo.

And while you’re there, pick up some fresh Alabama seafood to take home. That’s a winner in my book.