April 3, 2008 Issue

*Many species of fish, including sailfish, kingfish, Spanish mackerel, barracuda, mutton snapper and cobia appear to use artificial reefs as the center of their feeding forays. These bluewater roamers can be caught in abundance many hundreds of yards from the artificial reef. Cold, plankton-rich waters are forced by the Gulf Stream up and over the top of the wreck.
Game fish often lurk in down currents feeding on bait fish and pelagic crustaceans. What, exactly, are pelagic crustaceans?

*Sea Turtles nest on Gulf beaches between April and November. The female sea turtle lays her eggs in the sand at night……in 2-3 hours she will lay about 120 eggs. Sea Turtles are protected by law, thank goodness!

*Destin traces its immediate history to a fisherman, Leonard Destin, who moved here from New London, Conn., and settled in NW Florida about 1845.