LAST IN: Mark McLain of Louisiana weighed in the last fish of the 61st Destin Fishing Rodeo Saturday at 6:55 p.m. He caught his 24.4-pound grouper aboard the Lady Em with Cap. Mike Eller. The captain and crew of the Lady Em were dressed in togas for Halloween.

Although the last fish, a 24.4-pound grouper, was weighed at 6:55 Saturday night, things are still hopping at the Destin Fishing Rodeo.

“I had eight messages when I got in this morning,” said Rodeo executive director Helen Donaldson.

Even while I was sitting in Helen’s make-shift office at the docks Monday morning, the phone was ringing with folks wanting to know if their fish won or if the Rodeo still had their size in a T-shirt.

“I think it was a good Rodeo,” Donaldson said, even without the red snapper.

For the month, the Rodeo had 775 fish entries with 147 private boats and 87 charter boats entered. The number of fish weighed in was a few hundred less than last year’s Rodeo record, but it wasn’t a bad showing all things considered.

Not only did the Rodeo have to deal with no snapper, but then federal regulators came in and took away the amberjack with a week left to fish.

“But people still went out and fished,” she said.

Donaldson said the Rodeo, as well as other captains up and down the docks, will be working toward the efforts of getting the amberjack and red snapper back. One step in that direction took place Monday morning.

More than 100 fishermen, friends and family showed up at the corner of U.S. 98 and Perry Avenue in Fort Walton Beach with signs in tow to protest the fish closures that have been imposed upon them in recent months.

Everybody is hoping for a change, but if it doesn’t happen, “The Rodeo will live on,” Donaldson said. “We’ll just have to adjust.”

And adjust is what the Rodeo did this year.

With no red snapper, the Rodeo opened up a new avenue for anglers — Shark Saturdays. Every Saturday throughout the month anglers had a chance at $250. The fisherman with the largest shark of the day was the lucky winner.

The winner on Saturday was Derick Burke of Georgia with a 97-pound mako caught aboard the Southern Charm.

His was one of two sharks brought in Saturday. Capt. John Funk on the Shark Hunter came in with a 25.4-pound tiger shark.

The big catch of the day Saturday was a 99.6-pound yellowfin tuna caught aboard the Daybreak with Capt. Eric Thrasher. Peter Irby landed the huge tuna for a first-place spot in the “Extended Voyage” category.

Thrasher and his crew had an even bigger fish that they tagged and released. David Howard tagged and released a blue marlin that they estimated at 300 pounds.

Ken Machuta aboard the Black Dog came in about 3 o’clock Saturday with a 1.2-pound Jack Crevalle. I know that doesn’t sound like a big fish, but it’s big when it’s the last fish you need to complete your “Trash Can Slam.” Earlier in the month he weighed in a ladyfish and a sailcat. All that was missing in his slam was the Jack Crevalle. Anyhow his final aggregate weight got him in the money. He finished in second place, which is worth $500.

Another winning fish that came in Saturday was brought in by Nathan Jones of Fort Walton Beach. He reeled in a 25.9-pound king mackerel while fishing off the Okaloosa Island Pier for a top spot in the Pier, Bridge, Jetty and Surf category.

As a matter of fact, he was one of those phone calls Helen got while I was sitting in her office Monday morning. And she had the pleasure of letting him know he was the proud winner of a season pass to the pier among other things.

However, all winners will get the chance to claim their bounty this Saturday.

At 4 p.m. Saturday, winning anglers, captains and mates will be recognized at an awards ceremony upstairs at AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar.

—Tina Harbuck

Post from: Rodeo Rap

Greg McCabe said it took him an hour to haul in this 96.2-pound yellowfin tuna.

Both Capt. Robert Hill on the Twilight and Capt. Eric Thrasher on the Daybreak came in after 5 p.m. from extended voyages and a boat load of fish.

Capt. Hill and his crew brought in 10 yellowfin tuna with two getting on the leaderboard in first and second places. Greg McCabe hauled in a 96.2-pound yellowfin for first and Temple Estopiinal had second with a 76.2-pounder. But only for a few minutes.

When Capt. Thrasher backed in they hauled in a couple of tuna of their own. Kenton Mast of Ohio weighed in a 94.2-pound to take over the second place spot.

This is just a few of the fish brought in Thursday afternoon. The docks got busy from 4 p.m. until the close with everything from triggerfish, scamp and king mackerel going up on the scales.

For more photos from Day 29 of the Destin Fishing Rodeo, click here.

We only have a couple of days left, so come on down.
See you there.
-Tina Harbuck

Post from: Rodeo Rap

Kyle MCCarthy of New York weighed in a 2.2-pound triggerfish for a daily. Her catch was No. 722 for the month.

However, there has been two boats come in with catches for dailies.

Kathy Gault pulled in a 15.4-pound king mackerel on the King Triton for a daily.

At 2:17 p.m. the Suzie Q backed in with a triggerfish that made it onto the daily board. Kyle McCarthy of New York weighed in a 2.2-pound triggerfish.

From the way it looks right now, anybody with a fish could get on the board for a daily. So come on down.

The scales are open until 7 p.m. — Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.
See you there.
-Tina Harbuck

Post from: Rodeo Rap

A little after 2 p.m., the Lock-On with Capt. John King came in from an extended voyage with a couple of scamp that made the leaderboard. Believe it or not, both scamp weighed 5.8 pounds each. So they took over first and second place on the board.

Not long after, the Huntress with Capt. Mike Graef backed in with a couple of fish that made it on the board for dailies. They weighed in a 20.4-pound king mackerel and a 3-pound triggerfish.

The day is still young and who knows who out there fishing and what they might come in with.

Don’t forget the scales are open until 7 p.m.
See you there.
-Tina Harbuck

Post from: Rodeo Rap

The first shark of the day was caught by a first-time shark fisherman.

The first shark of the second to the last Shark Saturday was lugged onto the docks at about 2 p.m. It weighed in at 96.6 pounds.

The shark was “pissed off” when they got him to the boat, and the Hinesville, Ga., angler said his arms were aching after the fight. But the thrill of it all has Griffen hooked on shark fishing.

“It was my first shark, but I hope to God it won’t be my last. I’ll be back,” he said.

Griffen’s shark was initially the leader in the battle for the $250 jackpot in the weekly Mako My Day Division. But hours later his catch was knocked off by a 126 pound bull shark.

At about 6 p.m., Rodeo Executive Director Helen Donaldson said three shark had already been weighed and two more were expected before the Rodeo closed for the day.

To read about other shark tales from the 61st Destin Fishing Rodeo, click here.

For more photos from Day 24 and to read about a protest on the docks Saturday, click on the links.

— William Hatfield

A shark at the docks is always a crowd pleaser. The brave gathered to touch the bull shark

Post from: Rodeo Rap

Here’s what Destin anglers and captains think about the Fed’s action.

And here’s what we think.

The final ’jack of the 61st Destin fishing Rodeo weighed in at 16.8 pounds and was caught by David Fisher of Bellfonte, Penn. He was fishing aboard the Lady ‘Em with Mike Eller.

— William Hatfield

Post from: Rodeo Rap

As of about 1 p.m., only one fish had been brought to the scales — a 6.2-pound king mackerel that had been caught off the pier. The catch brings the count of fish entries to 643.

I’m told that there is at least one boat still out — Capt. Mike Eller on the Lady Em.
Also I understand that the Tropical Winds will be pulling out soon for a 32-hour trip.

Good luck to all.
Remember the scales are open from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. daily — and you never know who’s out there fishing that might bring in who knows what.

See you there.
-Tina Harbuck

Post from: Rodeo Rap

The Rodeo merchandise trailer is located just outside of AJ's.

So if you’re looking to get a Rodeo T-shirt don’t wait much longer. There will be no more reordering of the shirts.

As for fishing news today - it was Rough on the Gulf.
Capt. Jim Green of the New Florida Girl’s American Spirit said the forecasters were right when they called for 5- to 7-foot seas.
“It was just like they said,” Green said. “Violent.”

Although it was a bit bumpy, Capt. Green said they brought in about 75 mingo, along with several white snapper and triggerfish. He said they also had a keeper scamp.

The Rodeo did have a few dailies make the board today.
The Mindy Lou II came in with a 12.4-pound king mackerel and the Lucky Lina had a 23.6-pound king.

Capt. Eric Thrasher on the Daybreak brought in a couple of nice amberjack a 38.4-pounder and a 38.6-pounder. The amberjack brought the count for fish entries to 640.

Hopefully once this front pushes on through the area, the Gulf will calm down.
See you at the docks.
-Tina Harbuck

Post from: Rodeo Rap

Capt. Mike Dates released a baby Warsaw at the Rodeo docks. They had hooked the Warsaw while fishing in Choctawhatchee Bay.

Nicholas Gallagher, 6, got on the leaderboard with this 2.2-pound speckled trout caught on the First Shot.

For the folks aboard the First Shot, they were fishing on the bay side looking for something to enter in the Rodeo.

“We caught something in the bay, that’s even hard to catch in the Gulf,” said Capt. Mike Dates of the First Shot.

They brought in what they first thought might be a Kitty Mitchell or even a snowy grouper, because of some faded spots on one side of the fish. However, it didn’t quite have the right fins that a grouper of that kind would have.

Instead, when they got to the Rodeo docks, someone identified it as a baby Warsaw.

Realizing that it was still alive, Capt. Mike quickly released it to swim another day.

However, his crew did have something to weigh in that made it on the boards. Six-year-old Nicholas Gallagher reeled in a 2.2-pound speckled trout for a spot on the board in the Junior Division.

His entry was No. 627.

Mike Frazier weighed in a 5.6-pound king mackerel for a daily in the King Mackerel category.

A few minutes later the Miss Kiki pulled in a with a king mackerel for a daily award.
Mike Frazier of Clermont weighed in a 5.6-pound king for a daily.

Things were a little slow at the Rodeo today with the wind still causing a chop on the Gulf.
Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.

See you there.

-Tina Harbuck

Post from: Rodeo Rap

Gordie Pepper shows off a 5-pound triggerfish he caught aboard the Silver King with Capt. Mike Parker.

I understand, however, it’s a little choppy out on the Gulf of Mexico. So not many boats have brought in fish thus far to day.
Weighmaster Bruce Cheves said he has weighed about four - a king mackerel, barracuda, trout and a triggerfish.

Gordie Pepper of Ohio was the angler on the triggerfish. He caught a 5-pounder while fishing on the Silver King with Capt. Mike Parker. His fish found a second place slot on the leaderboard. In addition to the triggerfish, they had amberine, grouper and plenty more triggerfish in the box.

There is still time to come on down and soak up some of the beautiful weather. The Rodeo scales are open until 7 p.m.
See you there.
-Tina Harbuck

Post from: Rodeo Rap