When Statesboro High School sophomore Emory D’Archangelo recently hooked a monster redfish in a fishing tournament at the coast, he said felt like he was “in a movie.” 

Reeling in the species of saltwater rockfish was almost surreal, he said. The 38 and ¾ inch redfish “was the hardest fighting fish I’ve ever caught. At first, I thought it was a shark or something else, so when I saw it was a redfish, I was happy.”

Redfish was exactly the type of fish he was angling for, after all.

D’Archangelo was competing in the 2022 Seventh Annual Tybee Island “Big Bully” Redfish Tournament Oct. 8 and 9 when he won the redfish category for his age group. He reeled in the longest redfish in the tournament.

He also tied the “Calcutta” competition for the longest bluefish, another popular saltwater fish. That and the redfish netted him a total prize of $1,900. 

At first, using cut mullet as bait, he hooked a 16”, a 17½” and an 18½” bluefish, which tied him in that division, which won a split prize of $900, he said. 

The next day, using the same bluefish now cut up for bait, he cast out his Penn Battle 3 8000 saltwater rod and reel and waited.

Soon, the surf broke to reveal he had a pretty big fish on the line, and the fight was on. The battle with the redfish was a lot of fun, he said, and earned the $1,000 top prize in his age division. 

“I started fishing when I was really young, like 3 years old,” he told the Statesboro Herald. “I started in a neighborhood pond, catching bluegill.” 

His parents, Frank D’Archangelo and Lissa Leege of Statesboro, are proud of their young son, who is 15.

Frank D’Archangelo posted on social media: “Emory is happy when he gets to fish for two days straight… he is super happy fishing for two days and coming home $1,900 richer!” 

The teen doesn’t fish saltwater very often, just “whenever we go to the beach,” but he fishes for freshwater fish every chance he gets, he said. “It is a way to get away from everything. It is relaxing.”

Fishing isn’t really a family endeavor. He said his dad fishes a little, but “I am 100-percent self-taught.” 

D’Archangelo also spends his time competing in cross country and track at Statesboro High School.

He fishes regularly, but will likely never forget the day of the Tybee tournament.

“I felt like I was in a dream,” he said. “I didn’t believe it. I hadn’t seen anybody else catch anything except a ray.” 

The tournament benefitted the Ronald McDonald House charities.