Close Menu
  • Home
  • COMMUNITY NEWS
  • LOCAL NEWS & EVENTS
  • SCHOOL NEWS
  • MILITARY NEWS
  • CRIME / PUBLIC SAFETY
  • THINGS TO DO
  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
  • HOME & GARDEN
  • NORTHWEST FLORIDA NEWS
  • FLORIDA NEWS
  • Contact
Facebook
Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Niceville.com
Niceville.com
Home»OUTDOORS»Okaloosa man is Lionfish King: Isaac Jones wins first place in Lionfish Challenge
OUTDOORS

Okaloosa man is Lionfish King: Isaac Jones wins first place in Lionfish Challenge

Niceville.comSeptember 20, 20222 Mins Read
Isaac Jones
Isaac Jones of Okaloosa County was named the 2022 Lionfish King for winning the recreational division of the 2022 Lionfish Challenge. (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)

OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. — An Okaloosa County man has won the recreational division of the 2022 Lionfish Challenge, and another Okaloosa resident won second place in the commercial division, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has announced.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Isaac Jones of Okaloosa County won first place in the recreational division with 1,018 lionfish. Alex Fogg of Okaloosa County won second place in the commercial division with 1,090 pounds of lionfish

The seventh annual Lionfish Challenge came to a close on Sept. 6, and the competition was stiff until the very end. Participants in this year’s tournament broke several records in their quest to earn the title of Lionfish King or Queen and Commercial Champion, the FWC said.

The 2022 tournament boasted a total of 707 registered participants, the most in the program’s history. In all, 196 divers conducted a total of 676 trips throughout the state during the three-month tournament and brought in a whopping 25,299 lionfish.

This is the highest tournament total since 2018.

Here are the winners of the 2022 Lionfish Challenge:

RECREATIONAL DIVISION
  • Lionfish King (first place, Recreational Division): Isaac Jones, Okaloosa County – 1,018 lionfish
  • Second place Recreational Division: Baye Beauford, Duval County – 863 lionfish
  • Third place Recreational Division: Helen Rodney, Broward County – 800 lionfish
COMMERCIAL DIVISION
  • Commercial Champion (First place Commercial Division): Paul DeCuir, Gulf Shores, Ala. (dives Escambia County) – 1,092 pounds of lionfish
  • Second place Commercial Division: Alex Fogg, Okaloosa County – 1,090 pounds of lionfish
  • Third place Commercial Division: Isidoro Bedoya, Duval County – 1,008 pounds of lionfish

The 2022 Lionfish Challenge was sponsored by FloGrown, a Florida-based fishing and outdoor apparel company. FloGrown designed, printed, and donated custom tournament T-shirts that were awarded to all participants who reached the first prize tier of the tournament.

Advertisement
Eglin Federal Credit Union auto loan leaderboard ad with family image.

Niceville.com Community Partner

The Lionfish Challenge is a summer-long tournament that rewards divers for their lionfish harvests. The tournament is open to everyone, is completely free to enter, and participants can compete from anywhere in the state. Divers receive prizes based on the amount of lionfish they harvest and compete for the title of the Lionfish King/Queen or Commercial Champion.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
Previous ArticleValparaiso man is accused of pointing a gun at partygoers
Next Article Niceville named 4th safest college town in America

Related Posts

Close-up of glowing blue rocks embedded in the new Bridge-to-Bridge path on Okaloosa Island at night.

Okaloosa unveils glowing Bridge-to-Bridge path with Oct. 23 ribbon cutting

October 7, 2025
close-up of a greater amberjack swimming in open water

Gulf recreational amberjack season closed through August 2026

September 29, 2025
Donald Vautrinot receives the Commercial Champion award at the 2025 FWC Lionfish Challenge.

Walton County diver pulls 1,161 pounds of lionfish, wins FWC title

September 25, 2025
Advertisement
Eglin Federal Credit Union auto loan ad with family and open road theme.

Niceville.com Community Partner

Categories
  • COMMUNITY NEWS
  • CRIME / PUBLIC SAFETY
  • FLORIDA NEWS
  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
  • HOME & GARDEN
  • IT'S GEEK TO ME
  • LARRY WILLIAMS
  • LOCAL NEWS & EVENTS
  • MARKETPLACE NEWS
  • MILITARY NEWS
  • NORTHWEST FLORIDA NEWS
  • OUTDOORS
  • ROADS / TRANSPORTATION
  • SCHOOL NEWS
  • THINGS TO DO
Advertisement
Eglin Federal Credit Union auto loan ad with family and open road theme.

Niceville.com Community Partner

COMMUNITY PARTNERS
  • EGLIN FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
  • EYEWEAR UNLIMITED
  • HAIR EXPRESS
  • MIDBAY VETERINARY HOSPITAL
  • NICEVILLE FARMERS MARKET
  • NICEVILLE INSURANCE AGENCY
  • RUCKEL PROPERTIES, INC.
  • THE WHARF 850
Advertisement
Eglin Federal Credit Union auto loan ad with family and open road theme.

Niceville.com Community Partner

Categories
  • COMMUNITY NEWS
  • CRIME / PUBLIC SAFETY
  • FLORIDA NEWS
  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
  • HOME & GARDEN
  • IT'S GEEK TO ME
  • LARRY WILLIAMS
  • LOCAL NEWS & EVENTS
  • MARKETPLACE NEWS
  • MILITARY NEWS
  • NORTHWEST FLORIDA NEWS
  • OUTDOORS
  • ROADS / TRANSPORTATION
  • SCHOOL NEWS
  • THINGS TO DO
Advertisement
Eglin Federal Credit Union auto loan ad with family and open road theme.

Niceville.com Community Partner

Advertisement

Niceville.com Community Partner

ABOUT NICEVILLE.COM

PRIVACY POLICY

TERMS OF SERVICE

© 2025 Niceville.com. All Rights Reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.