There’s nothing like a shark to draw a crowd - and it didn’t take long for the crowd to gather for a close-up look as Rodeo weighmaster Bruce Cheves hoisted a 152.8-pound Dusky Shark up on the scales just a little before 7  p.m. Monday.

Scott Gallagher of Santa Rosa Beach was the angler who reeled in the shark while fishing on the Perfect Shot with Capt. Brady Bowman. The shark was a great conversation piece, however, it wasn’t big enough to get on the leaderboard. A shark has to weigh 200 pounds or better to be a legal entry in the Rodeo. Nevertheless it was great for photos, and the angler will have plenty of stories to tell.

At close of day the count on fish entries into the 59th Annual Destin Fishing Rodeo is 281.

-Tina Harbuck

One of the highlights of the Destin Fishing Rodeo is watching the youngsters weigh in their fish. Some catch them off the charter boats, others off the pier and some right off the docks.

Just a little after 3 p.m. today, 11-year-old Jacob Bratcher of Kentucky along with his dad came walking up with a huge pinfish on a chain stringer. Weighmaster Bruce Cheves weiged in Bratcher’s fish and handed him a new rod and reel for his efforts. His pinfish weighed 1.2 pounds. This, however, isn’t Bratcher’s first Rodeo. Last year he weighed in a 2.2-pound catfish and the year before that another pinfish.

Bratcher, like all kids that enter a fish, received the new fishing gear and a certificate for his catch.

Just another way to show that everybody is a winner at the Destin Fishing Rodeo.

-Tina Harbuck