S.A.F.E. President Captain Jon Reynolds Named Top Charter Boat in 2025 DRP Tag & Release Awards

Our own Captain Jon Reynolds — President of S.A.F.E. and owner/operator of Dropback Charters — just took home Top Charter Boat honors in the 2025 Dolphinfish Research Program (DRP) International Tag and Release Awards.

That's not just a trophy. That's 138 mahi-mahi tagged and released in a single season. More than any other charter operation in the world.

What Is the DRP?

The Dolphinfish Research Program is run by Beyond Our Shores Foundation — a nonprofit dedicated to studying dolphinfish (mahi-mahi) migration, growth, and population health through citizen science. Captains and anglers tag small, healthy mahi with dart tags and release them. When those fish are recaptured, scientists get critical data about movement patterns, growth rates, and stock health.

In 2025, the DRP distributed over $9,000 worth of fishing gear, products, and cash rewards to participating captains and anglers worldwide. The program produced 1,750 tagged dolphinfish and 43 recaptures — real data that feeds directly into fishery management decisions.

The 2025 Results

Here's how the top boats stacked up:

Charter Boats

• 🥇 Top Charter Boat: Captain Jon Reynolds, Dropback Charters — 138 Tagged
• 🥈 2nd Charter Boat: Captain Dwayne Sapp, Sea Swamp Charters — 28 Tagged

Private Boats

• 🥇 Top Private Boat: Don Gates, Killin' Time II — 669 Tagged
• 🥈 2nd Private Boat: David Wamer, Wam-Jam — 121 Tagged

Regional Leaders

• Top Boat in the South Atlantic Bight: Ed Kattel, Cool Cat — 197 Tagged
• Top Boat in the Tropics: Julien Brossel, Madatet Fishing — 61 Tagged
• Top Boat in the Mid-Atlantic Bight: Dr. Iyke Blackemore, Marlin Gull — 113 Tagged
• Top Boat in the Gulf of Mexico: Jimmy Crochet, Rising Sons — 30 Tagged

Why This Matters

Captain Reynolds didn't just tag the most mahi from a charter boat — he did it while running paying trips. That means his clients are part of the conservation effort too. Every angler who stepped on Dropback Charters last season contributed to real fishery science.

This is exactly what S.A.F.E. is about. Sustainable fishing isn't about catching less — it's about fishing smarter. Tag and release programs generate the data scientists need to set accurate catch limits, track population health, and protect the species we all depend on.

When the president of your conservation organization is the top charter boat in an international tagging program, that's not just leadership — that's leading by example.

S.A.F.E. Members Making a Difference

Several S.A.F.E. members and Florida Keys captains appeared in the 2025 DRP results, including David Wamer (2nd Private Boat, 121 tagged). The Keys continue to be a powerhouse for dolphinfish tagging and conservation research.

Want to get involved? The DRP needs more boats tagging mahi. Learn how to tag or join S.A.F.E. to connect with captains already doing this work.

Support the Science

The DRP's 2025 awards were made possible by sponsors including Penn Fishing, Costa Del Mar, AFTCO, and the Guy Harvey Foundation. To qualify for 2026 year-end awards, boats need to tag, release, and record a minimum of 20 dolphinfish with the DRP.

Congratulations, Captain Reynolds. You made S.A.F.E. proud.

Source: Beyond Our Shores Foundation — 2025 DRP International Tag and Release Award Winners