The Destin Log is the twice-weekly newspaper devoted to covering the crown jewel of the Emerald Coast.
Don Bozeman of Freeport just took over in the King Mackerel division with a 49-pounder caught on the KC's Creel with Capt. Ken Creel.
They also had a 36.8-pounder caught by Chad Parker of Pensacola.
Capt. Creel said they caught both king on the same spot - “We just got lucky,” he said.
And as for Don the angler - Capt. Creel said - it was his turn on the rod.
I told you the fish were just going to get bigger today.
The number is now at 1014 - and growing by the minute.
– Tina Harbuck
The last fish of the day - Saturday - got on the board in a big way.
It wasn’t very big - but it was the 1000th fish of the 60th annual Destin Fishing Rodeo.
Jered Smith of Shalimar weighed in a 2.6-pound scamp he caught aboard the Un Reel with Capt. Harold Loeffler. The fish was weighed at 7:25 p.m. - but will go in the record books as the first-ever 1000th fish entered in the Rodeo.
Fishing is good and a lot of boats are out today — we’ve already had a dozen weighed today - and I’m sure it’s just going to get busier.
The sun is shinning bright and the bleachers are starting to fill up — but there is still room for you - so pack it up and come on down.
–Tina Harbuck
It’s a little after lunch and already three boats have come in and five fish have been weighed - the numbers at 959 for entries.
There are several boats out today - so it should be a big afternoon at the Rodeo. Plus it’s Miss Destin’s Leah Stuart’s 18th birthday - so drop by and wish her well.
Anyhow the five fish weighed thus far are:
*Caleb Monk Georgia reeled in a 13.6-pound red snapper on the Sea Venture with Capt. Jim McMahon.
*Don Oerler of Mississippi hauled in a 3.6-pound triggerfish and a 5-pound red snapper on the under-25-foot-boat Back Atcha with Capt. Tres Peerson.
*Terry Phillers of Tennessee pulled in a 13.2-pound grouper while on the Back Atcha.
*Barry Hardin of Tennessee cuaght a 4.4-pound black snapper on the What Doin’.
– Tina Harbuck
Mr. Sailfish was looking a little lonely today.
As of 3:00, only one fish has been hung on the scale today — a 4.3 pound sailfish. The slime producing, long-finned loner was brought in by a Jon boat and the angler left the catch behind.
Bad idea, according to Richard Laedeke, the former Rodeo photographer that still shows here and there to help out weighmaster Bruce Cheves.
“I ate one with wasabi and rice the other day,” Laedeke said. “It was good, that’s nice clean white meat.”
Leadeke said that there were three or four boats out now due to the high seas. More tried to make it out of the bay this morning, but were unable to get past the sandbar. Since the incoming tides are “nasty”, there isn’t too much biting. He said that could change when the tide changes later this evening.
They remain hopeful.
“No matter how rough it is out there, someone will be on the jetties or the pier and bring us a fish.”
-Jenni Rich
Word is that it’s about 6- to 7-foot seas today - which would explain while all the boats are in there slips.
It’s about 12:30 p.m. and nothing has been weighed and Bruce Cheves says it’s probably not going to happen - “I would say nothing, but you never know.”
Capt. Tony Davis and the crew aboard the Anastasia was our only hope - Capt. Tony said while he was coming in “this group is about ready to get off this rig.”
I guess the rough seas, made for rough tummy’s.
We never did see a fish out of them.
–Tina Harbuck
As bad as it was Wednesday - anglers braved the rough waters and brought in fish, bringing the number for the 60th Rodeo to 948 - with nine fishing days left.
One of the last boats of the day was the Perfect Shot with Capt. Brady Bowman.
His anglers took four dailies.
The biggest was a 51.2-pound amberjack hauled in by Buddy Wingfiled of Tennessee.
He also had an 8.6-pound red grouper.
Bryant Davis, also of Tennesse, took the daily in the red snapper category with an 8.8-pounder. Davis also had a 2.8-pound scamp for a daily.
Although the amberjack was huge - the snapper, grouper and scamp were good fish, they were not that big — however they were biggest on Wednesday.
See you at the docks.
–Tina Harbuck
Lee Blarkmore might have lost Jaws, but he did bring in this 8-pound king mackerel for a daily in the Junior Division.
The king he weighed in measured up at 8 pounds. However he said he lost a big one.
His dad, who was going right along with the story said, “it was as long as this table.”
“I could have sworn it was Jaws,” young Blackmore said.
Although we will never know, he’s got some great memories as well as fish to take home.
By the way, Capt. Steelman said the seas are 3- to 6-feet - but the Pass is getting bad — no water, only a couple of feet of water - which makes it hard to get in and out.
–Tina Harbuck
The Mindy Lou II had a bit of a time tying the boat off due to the wind. Ben Bolte of Tennessee did weigh in a 10.6-pound king mackerel off the Mindy Lou II.
Not many boats out today — the wind is blowing pretty good and the word is that its about 2-4 foot seas and getting worse by the minute.
But we have had a few boats come in this morning. The Mindy Lou II with Capt. Bill McDonald backed in a little while ago with a king mackerel for a charter boat daily catch. Ben Bolte of Iowa was the angler who pulled in the 10.6-pound king.
Right behind him, was the 25-foot-and-under Silver King with Capt. Mike Parker. Dan Erickson weighed in a 5.3-pound red snapper for a daily.
Dan Erickson weighed in a 5.3-pound red snapper for a daily. He was fishing on the Silver King with Capt. Mike Parker.
Although it looks slow now — you never know what might be coming around the pass.
The sun is out, there’s a little breeze - but there is plenty of room in the bleachers - so come on down.
–Tina Harbuck
The most fish ever weighed in during a Rodeo was 901 about five years ago. But the folks fishing the 60th annual Destin Fishing Rodeo has blown those numbers out of the water and then some.
The count is up to 920 — who says we have a shortage of fish?
Way to go guys and gals, keep reeling them in.
See you at the scales.
–Tina Harbuck
Slow and steady is the theme of the day at the docks. The harbor gazers were enjoying the beer on tap and the ever-flowing Jimmy Buffett at AJ’s.
Weighmaster Bruce Cheves said that he has weighed in about a dozen snapper, mackerel and triggerfish today as the American Spirit was pulling in to unload a bounty of mostly red snapper.
None of the fish were destined for the scales, but little Neakailen Leslie, 4, from Cincinnati, Ohio was so proud of his yellow snapper that he wanted to see it on the scale anyway.
Neakailen’s Destin fishing experience was completed as he handed the snapper to mate Dave Young to be cleaned and bagged to take home.
The little guy wasn’t sure if he was going to have cheese grits or hush puppies with the one pound fish, but he knew one thing, “that’s lunch tomorrow.”
-Jenni Rich
