A $1 million makeover has resulted in a new prime location for boaters and paddlers to hit Destin and Fort Walton Beach beaches.
In September, the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners held the grand opening of the Okaloosa Island Boat Basin and ADA Accessible Kayak Launch. The boat basin...
17-Day Extension of Record Gulf Recreational Red Snapper Season
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Florida is extending the already record 2023 recreational Gulf red snapper season by 17 days, adding every Friday through Saturday in September, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving Day to the previously announced season. The 2023 season now totals...
By Cali Hlavac, To Do in Destin
This time of year, we usually notice different species of fish migrate into our Gulf waters – specifically Flounder and Sheepshead. Cooler weather means the fish will school up in one area, making them easier to catch once you track them down.
“Flounder and...
By Frank Berte
Way back in 1948, the very first Fishing Rodeo was held in Destin! Seventy-five years ago, this bustling international hotbed of the world’s vacationing elite was an entirely different scene. Northwest Florida was still a wild place, full of pine forests, large land animals and a staggering...
By April Sarver, Okaloosa County PIO
Congratulations! Divers participating in the 4th Annual Emerald Coast Open Lionfish Tournament successfully removed 13,835 lionfish from local waters. The invasive species prey on native fish and have no known predators due to their venomous spines. Hosted by Destin-Fort Walton Beach, alongside Florida Fish...
The Coastal Resources team with Destin-Fort Walton Beach Tourism has done it again! Over the Memorial Day weekend, they deployed 46 pre-fabricated artificial reef modules about 15 nautical miles south of the Destin East Pass. These reefs join the hundreds of others just south of Destin, including large vessel...
Go Slow, Look Out Below
This time of year, it’s important for boaters to go slow and lookout below to watch for manatees as they travel to warmer water sites around the state.
Manatees depend on water generally warmer than 68 degrees Fahrenheit to survive the winter. So, in the fall...
In celebration of World Coral Reef Awareness Day, Starborough Wine partnered with Reefmaker, the largest reef builder in the U.S., to deploy its first limestone reef two miles off the coast of Fort Walton Beach in June. It is designed to help maintain and rebuild ocean habitats off the...
By Cali Hlavac
For us locals, it’s time to begin getting ready for this year’s Fishing Rodeo season—a Destin tradition since 1948! And each year it gets better and better with several new events in the upcoming lineup.
New for 2022: The Extended Voyage Division will get an expansion, adding five...
By Nick Tomecek, Okaloosa County PIO
Divers participating in the 5th Annual Emerald Coast Open Lionfish Tournament set a new record with the successful removal of 24,699 lionfish! Last year’s total was 13,835. Divers from throughout the country competed for prize money totaling more than $100,000 in an effort to...
