Good month, good numbers for Destin Fishing Rodeo

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. Read more about that on Page A1.

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.