Freedivers from around the Southeast gathered in Destin-Fort Walton Beach last weekend for the return of the Panhandle Freedive Classic tournament after a two-year hiatus.
- The event, presented by the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Tourism, offered thousands of dollars in cash and prizes. It also aimed to maintain its presence as the premier regional freediving competition, according to tournament host Mike Pooler.
“Growing the sport of freediving and coupling that with spearfishing makes for a unique event in a destination already known for its rich fishing culture,” Pooler said. “We are extremely happy with the turnout and results. There were some big fish weighed in, and we can’t thank our sponsor enough. We could not have hosted this event without them.”
The tournament was held Oct. 6-8 and featured seven fish categories, including awards for top male, female and team. Every category, including the elusive pelagic fish, was filled – likely thanks to the area’s thousands of artificial reefs and fish aggregating devices.
Divers had the opportunity to harvest fish on Friday and Saturday, with the final weigh-in Sunday morning at La Paz restaurant in Destin. More than 60 fish were weighed by the tournament’s 35 registered divers.
- Keith Morrison landed a 24.15-pound red snapper, the winning catch. His team took first place overall.
“Being able to travel to the area from out of town and reliably find reefs and, more importantly, fish, even in less than ideal conditions, is a huge plus for divers no matter where they’re from,” Morrison said. “I’m looking forward to continuing to dive the area and participate again next year.”
Full results are available at www.aguaverdes.com.