Who is Dewey Destin?

Yankee Fisherman Makes Good

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Posted on 11/4/2016By the Ocean Reef Editorial Team

Many of our guests know that Destin is the "The World's Luckiest Fishing Village" but only the fortunate participants of this adventurous sport understand why it merits this exceptional distinction.

This lucky fishing phenomenon is bestowed to us by our unique geographical location, nature's abundance and local history. It has always been Destin's best known "secret", way before the pure sugar white beaches, world class golf courses, exclusive resorts, phenomenal shopping and upscale vacation rentals became a thing. It began a few centuries back when Destin was only an island surrounded on all sides by water. The original local natives depended upon the huge bounty of near shore seafood. Later with time the island became part of the current peninsula but with a fortunate exception. What is called the 100 fathom curve remained located just ten miles off shore giving Destin the closest and fastest access to deep water fishing in the entire Gulf of Mexico. Early settlers took advantage of this lucky fact starting when Captain Leonard Destin arrived in 1850. He began commercial fishing here catching delicious Cobia, Tuna, Pompano, Grouper, Flounder and Snapper. He was joined by the legendary Billy Marler in 1880. Marler expanded the bountiful fishing operation, built over 100 boats and introduced the first private charter fishing trips for adventurous tourists. By the 1920s Destin became known as the "Bill Fish Capital of the Gulf". Today Destin has not only the largest private charter fishing fleet in the state of Florida but in the entire Gulf of Mexico.

So who is Dewey Destin? He is a direct descendant of Captain Leonard Destin for whom the city was named and his family has been fishing these abundant waters for many generations. They used his family's original traditional method of utilizing net fishing to harvest this aquatic cornucopia of good eating. The huge harvest in fish was sold commercially to many local restaurants and they had a retail operation selling fresh seafood on the bay next to the Destin Bridge. They did so at the same location that had been used by his father, Grandfather and Great Great Grandfather after the fish were unloaded on the dock. Originally they were sailed over to Pensacola for marketing. Unfortunately in 2001 the State of Florida banned the net fishing practice which placed the Destin family at a time of major transition. Dewey Destin decided to capitalize on the burgeoning commercial business and dovetail it into a successful restaurant. A short time later Dewey Destin opened his bay front restaurant right on the same docks that had been used by his family for over 150 years. Part of these docks had been expanded using piers from the old Destin Bridge from the 1930s when a new bridge was completed. Although Dewey would be the first to admit that running a restaurant is not as fun as fishing, it proved to be a Godsend to his family and was an immediate success. Their fresh fish now comes from daily commercial catches sold by places like Harbor Docks. This varies depending upon the season but includes Grouper, Amberjack, Snapper and Trigger Fish. He also goes on seafood buying excursions about twice a week to places like Bayou La Batre and Apalachicola for fresh oysters as well as additional shrimp. Interestingly enough, he says that shrimp both fried and grilled are a customer favorite. Dewey Destin's place on the bay is a very popular casual restaurant for outdoor dining. Patrons place their orders inside where catches are displayed on a big chalk board. Ice cold beer is available as well. Old black and white photos of Destin, the fishermen and Dewey's family can be seen on the walls for a nostalgic sense of history. The menu includes Gumbo, Crab Cakes, Crab Claws, Smoked Tuna Dip and Buffalo Fried Shrimp as an appetizer. Entrees feature "baskets" that are fried, steamed or grilled that include Fish, Shrimp, Oysters, Crab Cakes, Soft Shell Crabs, Snow Crabs, Scallops and Yellow Fin Tuna. Salads, Burgers, Chicken Sandwiches and Hot Dogs are also available for the landlubber crowd. The dining experience includes a colorful array of umbrella tables out on the breezy docks. Besides the good eats, being at this location alone is quite something since it overlooks Crab Island which always has an armada of private boats anchored during the daytime throughout most of the year while people frolic in the water, party and listen to music.xa0 During the spring thru summer months the sunsets are absolutely breathtaking since the sun sinks in dramatic spectacular fashion right into the bay.

His extended family includes the Marler's who opened one of the first restaurants in Destin back in the late fifties called The Blue Room. It sat on the sandy bluff overlooking Destin Harbor. In 2009 the restaurant was converted to become Dewey Destin's Harborside and includes members of both families in its operation. The menu is much the same featuring fresh seafood but this location overlooks Destin's Harbor, which still is home to the largest private fishing fleet on the gulf. The views are phenomenal since besides the harbor you are able to see East Pass and the glistening gulf in the distance. It also has an awesome location due to its close proximity to Harborwalk Village, which offers a vast array of delightful diversions including waterfront bars, shopping, seasonal festivals, outdoor concerts and even fireworks.

A decadent delight for dessert may be enjoyed available through his sons Grant and Parker Destin who serve Dewey's New Orleans styled Snowballs on their food truck. These cold delicious delicacies are not like the traditional snowballs you grew up with. Dewey Destin's "New Orleans" style snowballs offer homemade syrups using 100% Louisiana Sugar Cane as their main ingredient along with unique individual flavors. Some of these concoctions come stuffed with ice cream or cheese cake. They are located at Dewey Destin's Crab Island Restaurant. Hours are from 11am till 8pm.

In the meanwhile enjoy taking a look at the fine Destin Vacation Rentals available for your next trip down at Ocean Reef Resorts. We offer a wide assortment of outstanding properties of all types and sizes from Destin all the way out along Scenic 30A in South Walton. Multiple images, verbal descriptions, lists of individual amenities, satellite views for location, seasonal rental rates, calendar availability and information about our extensive complimentary Reef Rewards can be easily seen.

The Ocean Reef Editorial Team leads the market in vacation rental, real estate, and coastal lifestyle content, with decades of Destin & 30A expertise behind every story. As the area's largest locally owned and longest continually operating vacation rental company, we welcome over 200,000 guests each year and reach millions who dream of the beach. Our guides serve travelers, homeowners, and locals alike, sharing authentic knowledge you can trust-because this coast isn't just where we work, it's where our story began, and where we'll continue to welcome generations to come.