‘Ding’ Darling tournament results listed

The 14th annual “Ding” Darling & Doc Ford’s Tarpon Tournament, held on May 15, reports another record-breaking year of tournament sponsorships, donations and anglers to support water-quality research and conservation at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island.

The “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) organizes the annual tournament with Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille. The captain’s meeting and Silver King Awards ceremony take place at Doc Ford’s Sanibel Island location.

The 2026 tournament paid out a total of $67,600 in cash prizes to five winning teams out of 65 registered teams comprising 309 participants. Anglers hooked and released 63 tarpon catches this year.

The first-place prize of $30,420 went to Team Loaded Down, led by Capt. Kyle Applefield. The team was the first to catch and release six fish.

Second-place Team Salt Rock, led by Capt. Cody Chivas, caught its sixth fish later in day and won $16,900. In third place, Capt. Kyle Potts’ Team Towboat US Charlotte Harbor caught five fish and took home $10,140. Fourth-place winners Team Maastricht Engineering/Window Plus, with captain Ryan Stoa, won $6,700 with latter-caught five fish; fifth-place winners Team Seareaper Sportfishing, with captain Chris Argiro, took home $3,380 for its five fish.

The tournament also handed out awards for female angler to Stephanie Swank with Team Costa Customs, senior angler Aaron Black from Team Side X Side Enclosures, and amateur team Rad Raz with captain Kyle Nifong.

The tarpon tournament has awarded nearly $600,000 to winning teams during its 14-year history.