DESTIN, Fla. (WKRG) — The 74th Destin Fishing Rodeo is shaping up to be a record-setting year. On the first weekend, anglers reeled in an amberjack just 3 pounds short of the all-time record.
WKRG News 5 is dedicating Mondays and Fridays to following the leaderboard. Here are the standings as of Oct. 3, 2022.
| Division and species | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| AJs Seafood & Oyster Bar AJ’s Bonus Awards – Amberjack | Jackson Goodwin – Fort Smith, AR- 108.8 lbs | Bart Wagner – Lake Havasu, AZ – 96.2 lbs | Travis Brock – Mary Esther, FL – 83.8 lbs |
| Charter Boat – King Mackerel | Will McPherson – Niceville, FL – 13.4 lbs | Charla Brown – Murfreesboro, TN – 5.4 lbs | |
| Charter Boat – Grouper | Tristin Keith – Medical lake, WA – 38.6 lbs | Reid Flemming – Crestview, FL – 21.6 lbs | |
| Charter Boat – Amberjack | Jackson Goodwin – Fort Smith, AR – 108.8 lbs | Bart Wagner – Lake Havasu, AZ – 96.2 lbs | |
| Charter Boat – Blackfin Tuna | Tyler Adams – , MI – 18.0 lbs | ||
| Charter Boat – Mingo Snapper | Caden Bishop – Oxford, AL – 4.2 lbs | Scott Keen – Destin, FL – 4.0 lbs | |
| Charter Boat – Scamp | Rob Smith – Fort Walton Beach, FL – 12.6 lbs | Rob Smith – Fort Walton Beach, FL – 9.2 lbs | |
| Charter Boat – Wahoo | Jason Clayburn – Magee, MS – 35.4 lbs | Dillon Lewis – Fort Smith, AR – 27.2 lbs | |
| Charter Boat – Almaco Jack | Stephen Oldenburg – Birmingham, AL – 21.4 lbs | Dana Birdwell – Maryville, TN – 21.2 lbs | |
| Charter Boat – Black Snapper | Gavin Hawk – FWB, FL – 3.4 lbs | ||
| Charter Boat – Triggerfish | Danny Richardson – Smithville, GA – 6.4 lbs | Thomas Newsom – Little Rock, AR – 5.4 lbs | |
| Party Boat – Grouper | Terry Wingard – Hamilton, GA – 13.2 lbs | ||
| Party Boat – Amberjack | Patrick Pennington – Miramar Beach, FL – 27.0 lbs | Michael Thompson – Mary Esther, FL – 20.8 lbs | |
| Party Boat – Mingo Snapper | Edward Seger – Mary Esther, FL – 5.0 lbs | Lynn Cox – De Funiak Springs, FL – 4.0 lbs | |
| Party Boat – Scamp | Deborah Carter – Pensacola, FL – 4.4 lbs | ||
| Party Boat – Wahoo | Lyman Kerkhof – Gulf Breeze, FL – 43.2 lbs | ||
| Party Boat – Almaco Jack | Shawn Sconiers – FWB, FL – 16.8 lbs | John Cook – Trussville, AL – 10.4 lbs | |
| Party Boat – Black Snapper | Troy Miller – Freeport, FL – 9.4 lbs | ||
| Party Boat – Triggerfish | Timothy Kasel – Warner Robbins, GA – 5.6 lbs | David McKenzie – Destin, FL – 3.4 lbs | |
| Ocean Reef Vacation Rentals and Real Estate 25′ & Under – King Mackerel | Robert Pfeil – Justin, TX – 10.6 lbs | Lauren Allen – Ballground, GA – 9.8 lbs | |
| Ocean Reef Vacation Rentals and Real Estate 25′ & Under – Amberjack | Tiana Farnsworth – Mary Esther, FL – 30.2 lbs | Dave Bromley – Eagan, MN – 23.4 lbs | |
| Ocean Reef Vacation Rentals and Real Estate 25′ & Under – Mingo Snapper | Sydney McDowell – New Bern, NC – 2.6 lbs | Sean Martin – Matthews, NC – 1.8 lbs | |
| Ocean Reef Vacation Rentals and Real Estate 25′ & Under – Almaco Jack | Sean Martin – Matthews, NC – 18.6 lbs | Thomas Martin – Austin, TX – 17.4 lbs | |
| Ocean Reef Vacation Rentals and Real Estate 25′ & Under – Black Snapper | Amir Rassa – Fort Walton Beach, FL – 3.4 lbs | Maverick Potts – FloydsKnobs, IN – 3.0 lbs | |
| Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House Private Boat – King Mackerel | Jeff Van Horn – FWB, FL – 11.0 lbs | ||
| Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House Private Boat – Amberjack | Shaun Duffy – Chattanooga, TN – 44.8 lbs | Grayson Wood – Destin, FL – 22.4 lbs | |
| Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House Private Boat – Blackfin Tuna | Alex Betancourt – Fort Walton Beach, FL – 19.0 lbs | ||
| Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House Private Boat – Mingo Snapper | Eric Hicks – Ringo, GA – 3.6 lbs | Eric Hicks – Ringo, GA – 3.0 lbs | |
| Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House Private Boat – Scamp | Skye Bailey – Destin, FL – 6.6 lbs | Sammie Eunice – Destin, FL – 5.8 lbs | |
| Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House Private Boat – Wahoo | Rochelle Lebold – Destin, FL – 61.4 lbs | Zach Pendergrass – Ringgold, GA – 28.2 lbs | |
| Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House Private Boat – Almaco Jack | Alex Betancourt – Fort Walton Beach, FL – 3.8 lbs | Samantha Dover – Mary Esther, FL – 3.4 lbs | |
| Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House Private Boat – Triggerfish | John Lebold – Destin, FL – 4.6 lbs | John Kelly – Destin, FL – 2.4 lbs | |
| Community Bank 25′ & Under Private Boat – King Mackerel | Steve Arrowsmith – Fort Walton Beach, FL – 12.8 lbs | Akhil Kamboj – Auburn, ME – 11.2 lbs | |
| Community Bank 25′ & Under Private Boat – Grouper | Guy Santucci – Destin, FL – 29.8 lbs | ||
| Community Bank 25′ & Under Private Boat – Amberjack | Aaron Saunders – Williamsburg, Ohio – 21.6 lbs | Jake Kinsinger – Santa Rosa Beach, FL – 17.2 lbs | |
| Community Bank 25′ & Under Private Boat – Blackfin Tuna | Mike Mahaffey – Mt.Orab, OH – 23.0 lbs | Doug Siedelmann – FWB, FL – 5.8 lbs | |
| Community Bank 25′ & Under Private Boat – Mingo Snapper | Alex Daugherty – Mary Esther, FL- 1.4 lbs | ||
| Community Bank 25′ & Under Private Boat- Almaco Jack | Betsy Kinsinger – Santa Rosa Beach, FL – 2.4 lbs | ||
| Community Bank 25′ & Under Private Boat – Black Snapper | Colton Mahaffey – Mount Orab, OH – 2.4 lbs | ||
| Ladies – King Mackerel | Renee Lyle – Destin, FL – 8.2 lbs | ||
| Ladies – Amberjack | Katlyn Selph – Benson, SC – 68.8 lbs | Morgan Fields – Diana, TX – 66.4 lbs | |
| Langer’s Juice Company Junior Angler – Grouper | Fisher Parker – Destin, FL – 41.6 lbs | Thomas Birdwell – Maryville, TN – 20.6 lbs | |
| Langer’s Juice Company Junior Angler – Amberjack | Jeb Staples – Destin, FL – 58.6 lbs | Fisher Parker – Destin, FL – 58.4 lbs | |
| Senior – Amberjack | Rob Webster – Memphis, TN – 70.8 lbs | Thomas Newsom – Little Rock, AR – 64.6 lbs | |
| Half Hitch Offshore- Barracuda | Charles Burkholder – Snellville, GA – 19.4 lbs | Shelby Ness – N.Fort Myers, FL – 16.4 lbs | |
| Half Hitch Offshore – Bonito | Russell Marshall – Tyler, TX – 17.0 lbs | Farres Baroudi – Gulfport, MS – 8.6 lbs | |
| Half Hitch Offshore – Dolphin | Skye Bailey – Destin, FL – 9.0 lbs | River Prater – Rockmart, GA – 8.4 lbs | |
| Billfish – Largest Sailfish | James Brian Evans – Shalimar, FL – 41.4 lbs | ||
| The Ship’s Chandler and Shimano Inshore – Redfish | Brandon Hembree – StrawberryPlains, TN – 7.2 lbs | Ashton Mack – Fort Walton Beach, FL- 6.8 lbs | |
| The Ship’s Chandler and Shimano Inshore – Spanish Mackerel | John Cathey – Needville, TX – 5.0 lbs | Dawson Nefzger – Lavergne, TN – 3.6 lbs | |
| The Ship’s Chandler and Shimano Inshore – Speckled Trout | Dave Bromley – Eagan, MN – 3.8 lbs | Mitch Smith – Laurel Hill, FL – 1.6 lbs | |
| BOTE Paddleboards Paddleboard – Any Species | Albie Wheeler – Destin, FL – 2.2 lbs | Joey Gates – Santa Rosa Beach, FL – 1.6 lbs | |
| The Trophy Center FIRST FISH | River Prater – Rockmart, GA – 8.4 lbs | ||
| Charter Boat Twilight Deep Drop – Largest Yellowedge Grouper | Michael Vazquez – FWB, FL – 17.2 lbs |
Not all divisions have been entered since some fish have not yet been caught in the first few days. The full printout list can be found online.
Tournament staff said they already have 245 registered boaters this year, well ahead of the average for the event’s first week. Anglers can register their boat any day during the rodeo until Oct. 30. The tournament ends Oct. 31.
Overall the tournament brings in more than 35,000 anglers annually. More than 45% of the fishermen travel from 36 other states.
The economic impact of the rodeo is felt all over the Gulf Coast. From guest lodging to fuelling and operating the boats, the TDC estimated more than $5,000,000 in revenue to the local market.
The first week of the tournament has an extra award ceremony, the kid’s competition. More information and rules for the weekly, and overall prizes are listed online.
Weigh-ins are done daily from 10 am to 7 pm on the docks behind AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar.
Tagged on to the rodeo action, the Destin Seafood Festival is back up and running following a two-year pandemic hiatus. From Oct. 7-9, the Destin harbor will be filled with different restaurants and vendors showing off one-of-a-kind items.
