Click Below to see our: Slide Show Dear Members, As we have completed our first 16 months with Eastern Shore Inshore Sportsmen(ESIS), we have reached amazing membership goal with 240 members. I am aware that it is difficult for many of you to actively particapate in all of our events, so I wanted to outline where we are and what we have accomplished in just one (1) year. ESIS was founded on June 1st, 2002 as a small group of about five or six of us sat around a tables at Lulu's discussing the need for an eastern shore based fishing club. After a couple of the informal conversations, I said I would give it a try. I personally felt we could get as many as twenty to twenty-five involved and maybe reach fifty members by our one year birthday. We wanted the organization to not only be fishing oriented, but also family and charity minded. Well, here we are, sixteen(16) months later, and today we signed up our 240 member. I would like to cover some of the events we have had and other acheivements your membership has make possible. ESIS and sanctioned tournaments: Thirteen(13) ESIS charity tournaments: Two(2). Leukemia/Lymphoma we raised $650.00 Down Syndrome , raised $1,200.00 Fish frys and family gatherings: Four(4) Awards banquets: Two(2)at which four(4) of our members received large trophies for their accumulated weigh-in totals. The 2003 awards banquet was combined with a great evening provided by our guest speaker, Mark Nichols. Mark is the creator of the DOA Lure Company and shared his vast experience with our members. ESIS membership meetings: Thirteen(13) Several with guest speakers. Sponsors: Daiichi Hook Co., DOA Lures,The Blue Gill, The Blue Marlin, The Original Oyster House, CVA Arms,The Rod Room, West Marine, Hooters of America, Sportsman's Marine, Romar Harbor, Glover Builders,Gun Broker.com, Signs Now, Delta Outfitters, Rock's Reef, Bass Pro Shops World Wide Sportsmen, Mickey Glover Bldr,Delta Outfitters, Boater's World, Reynolds Ready Mix, Terry Thompson Chevrolet/Oldsmobile,George's Water Sports, Blue Water Ships Store,Tim Simmonds State Farm Insurance,Baldwin EMC,Lulu's at Homeport, Homeport Marina, Wal-Mart, Vision Banks and others. We are going to work with our current sponsors and new sponsors as they come on board, to offer special discounts to our members. We will continue our Jr. Angler of the Year category for children fourteen(14) year or younger. They will also be eligible to win trophies for their weigh-in amounts. This is again in an effort to keep our families involved. We have completed several membership drive in which several of our members winning Okuma Reels, DVD Players, Portable TVs and more. Due to our rapid growth, we have had a real impact on the political front. ESIS has been heavily involved in the fight against the "NO FISHING ZONE" issue. We have sent numerous letters and e-mails to Washington D.C. and I will make a second trip to D.C. in April, to be certain your concerns were being heard. Now we have been asked to become involved in the gill net issue and are joining forces with groups in our area to continue the developement of the inshore reefs program and the sewage spill problems in our area. Because of our numbers,which relate to vote in the political arena, our voices have been heard locally,at the state level and in Washington and must continue to be. We are going to face many more radical groups in the future, including our own government. Washington is in the process of developing a new taskforce to oversee our fisheries and our right to fish. Our E.S.I.S. web site went online Feb.1st of this year and has had over 500,000 hits. ESIS has been represented two(2) times on ESPN radio, once on NBC T.V. because of our charity work and in numerous newspaper articles. Because of your continued efforts, E.S.I.S. became ALABAMA'S LARGEST INSHORE FISHING ORGANIZATION, in just one(1) year. In closing, I would like to thank all of you for your support of this organization. Not only has your payment of dues allowed us to continue to grow , but your individual hard work has make Eastern Shore Inshore Sportsmen not only well respected but an organization that I take great pride in being a part of. God Bless You and Your Families, Don Druse <"(((>{{

---