In 1978, at the promise of the Mobile Big Game Fishing Club to locate their clubhouse on the Marina grounds, construction of the Orange Beach Marina facility began. From the very beginning, it was built to service the sport fishing community.
In the very late 60’s and early 70’s, the prolific fishing grounds of the gulf stream – where it’s warm blue waters curve toward the southeast Alabama / northwest Florida coast – had been discovered. Just some 35 miles to the south-southeast from Orange Beach, the abundance of game fish was quickly recognized. “The Curve”, “Canyon”, “The Nipple”, and “The Elbow” quickly became the northern Gulf’s hot spots and Orange Beach Marina along with the city of Orange Beach, became the home port of the sports fishing industry in this part of the country.
Growth of the Marina was inevitable. It quickly became a full service Marina with boatyard facilities, Dock Store, as well as both new boat sales, and brokerage facilities. With these improvements, Orange Beach Marina quickly became the headquarters for several major tournaments. In 1986 a restaurant was added, and Chef Eddie Prudhomme, cousin of the well-known and world renowned Chef Paul Prudhomme, was brought in to serve the sport fisherman’s palate. Excellent food with the flare of Chef Eddie made the Marina and the restaurant the place to be. Unfortunately, Chef Prudhomme met an untimely death at a very early age but the future of the Marina complex had been determined.
In the mid to late 90’s the metamorphosis of Orange Beach Marina into what it is today had begun. The service yard and buildings were updated into state of the art service facilities by Saunders Yachtworks. As the year 2000 rolled in, the Marina solidified is reputation as a port of call for both sport fisherman and pleasure craft alike, with its unique atmosphere and tropical setting. Severely damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, the Marina underwent a complete rebuilding from 2005 to 2008 and is noted on the Gulf Coast for being among one of the only Marinas in a fully protected harbor that offers covered slips capable of accommodating large fishing vessels. In 2015, Orange Beach Marina was named one of the Top 25 Marinas in the United States by Power & Motoryacht.
Today, on-site boat and yacht sales/brokerage (Bluewater Yacht Sales), engine/yacht repair (Saunders Yachtworks), real estate brokerage (Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty), fishing charters, water sports, and extraordinary Dock Store make this facility truly unique. Fisher’s at Orange Beach Marina—its one-of-a-kind restaurant was completed in 2013 and commended as one of the top 100 eateries in the South—houses two kitchens with distinct concepts and menus. Fisher’s Upstairs and Fisher’s Dockside are sure to satisfy food lovers. And for those interested in tournament competition, be sure to enjoy one of the seven annual big game fishing tournaments hosted by the Mobile Big Game Fishing Club which is located within the Orange Beach Marina facility.
