Four personal best catches helped the 2025 winner secure his spot at the top when the dust settled.
For NYPD officer and lifelong Long Island fisherman Rashawn Williams, The Fisherman’s 2025 Dream Boat Fishing Challenge was never supposed to be the year everything clicked. He had entered before, fished hard in past seasons, even come close a couple of times — but something had always derailed the campaign. A missed fish here, a species that didn’t cooperate there, a closed weather window at the wrong time.
Winning the Dream Boat takes skill, of course, but also timing, luck, endurance, and a willingness to drop everything and go when the opportunity presents itself.
This year, those opportunities were everywhere — and Williams seized every one. By the time the final points were tabulated, Williams had tallied a dominant 33 points, securing first place over a strong field that included second-place finisher Vince Zorskas with 25 points, and third-place angler Amir Rajpaul who wrapped his season with 20 points. It was one of the tightest, most competitive leaderboards in recent years, but Williams ultimately stood above them all.
It was, without question, the year of personal bests. And it all started with a single fish.
A Doormat That Changed Everything
The 2025 Dream Boat campaign began for Williams the way most of his seasons do — in motion. Driving, planning, scanning weather windows and watching tides. But the turning point came early, during a June trip to Nantucket with a group of experienced Dream Boat anglers, including former champion Garrett Weir who organized the excursion. “I’ve tried before, but it just never came together,” Williams explained. “But this time felt different. I figured, start with fluke, get on the board early.”
Two trips after that conversation, Williams came tight on a fish that would alter the entire course of his season: a 13.06-pound doormat, the biggest fluke of his life. It wasn’t just a leaderboard fish — it was a thunderbolt. “That fluke inspired me to push forward,” he said. “From that moment on, I knew I had a shot.”
It wasn’t just a shot, it was the spark that lit one of the most determined Dream Boat runs in recent memory.
30 Trips, One Fish That Mattered
With a heavyweight fluke secured, Williams knew the next major hurdle would be porgy. Dream Boat competitors know that porgies — small fish by weight but massive in strategic value — are often the difference between winning and finishing well off the podium. Williams set a personal goal of a 3-pounder, but reaching it would take a level of persistence few anglers could endure.
He became a familiar face aboard Captain Keith’s Fin Chaser out of Montauk, jumping on nearly 30 trips through the summer. His reputation grew before his porgy did, earning him the nickname “The Yellow Jig Guy” for his unconventional porgy approach using slow-pitch jigs and modified tog jigs instead of traditional rigs.
“Porgy was the hardest species for me this year,” Williams admitted. “That one took serious work.”
It wasn’t until September, near Block Island, that all the hours, all the boat rides, and all the rod swings, finally paid off when he landed a 2.76-pounder — not quite his 3-pound dream, but more than enough to get on the board and keep his Dream Boat hopes alive.
Unexpected Surf Bonus
With two key species secured, Williams turned next to weakfish, choosing to chase them from land. Working an NYPD shift that had him clocking in at 4 p.m., he squeezed in quick missions whenever possible. One October outing to Jamaica Bay was classic Dream Boat improvisation: short on time, working tight tides, squeezing hope from a narrow weather window.
He didn’t hook the weakfish he wanted, but instead stuck a 2.52-pound sea robin which was big enough to put him on the board for another category. Every point mattered, and this one came from a cast he almost didn’t make.
Williams laughs about it now. “It wasn’t the fish I planned on, but it’s the one that counted.”
The Blackfish That Seals His Legacy
By October, Williams knew exactly what he needed, a double-digit blackfish. Based on leaderboard history, anything over 10 pounds would put him in serious contention for the overall title. He fished Rhode Island frequently, often with Captain Conner of Tall Tailz, and even boated an 8-pounder. But he needed more.
The moment of destiny came aboard Sound Bound out of Rhode Island, during the final five minutes of a late-October trip.
He baited on a big white crab, dropped down, and immediately felt what he described as “the biggest tog hit of my life.” The fish missed. Heart pounding, he dropped back down again. This time, the rod buckled.
The battle that followed was a blur of headshakes, surges, and raw power — until the fish finally surfaced and hit the net, 13.16 pounds. Another personal best, and a leaderboard changer.
That single fish turned his season from competitive to commanding.
A Sea Bass That Wouldn’t Come Easy
Only one species remained: sea bass. And it would take six straight days aboard the Captain Lou Fleet to finally land a qualifying 4.14-pounder. Another grind. Another long stretch of late nights and early mornings. Another fish that came at the end of a window that was rapidly closing.
With that final checkmark, Williams knew he had something special — personal bests in nearly every category and a complete leaderboard spread that would be nearly impossible for anyone to catch.
The Man Behind The Grind
As the season went on, Williams put 18,000 miles on his truck, fished before and after work, jumped between charter operations, party boats, and shoreline missions. He did whatever the moment required.
His girlfriend, who supported the nonstop schedule, was the quiet MVP behind the scenes. Past Dream Boat competitors (Garrett Weir, Bobby Cifarelli & Rob Carranzo) offered guidance and encouragement. And the fishing community — especially in Montauk — rallied around his run.
He describes himself humbly: “I just fished as much as possible and stayed where the bite was.”
His philosophy for success is even simpler:
“Time on the water.”
Second-Place & Third-Place Finishers
Though Williams stole the spotlight, both runners-up had impressive seasons.
Second place: Vince Zorskas – 25 points
Zorskas stayed in contention deep into the fall with a strong spread of species that would have won many other Dream Boat years.
Third place: Amir Rajpaul – 20 points
Rajpaul rounded out the podium with an impressive, consistent season that kept him in the hunt through November.
Dream Boat is never an easy competition — and these anglers showed why the leaderboard remained tight until the end.
What The Winners Take Home
The 2025 Dream Boat Fishing Challenge once again delivered one of the richest prize structures in recreational fishing. As the overall champion, Rashawn Williams will take home a fully rigged Steiger Craft 21 Classic center console powered by a Yamaha F150 outboard, creating a turnkey platform ready for inshore and nearshore action the moment it hits the water. The package is completed with a Minn Kota Riptide Terrova Quest 87-inch trolling motor for precise positioning and a Humminbird XPLORE 10 CHIRP MEGA SI+ unit that provides top-tier sonar detail and navigation capability. It’s a grand-prize package designed not only to reward a stellar season but to launch the winner into many more successful seasons to come.
Second-place angler Vince Zorkas earns an unforgettable fishing adventure with a four-night, five-day stay for two at the legendary Tropic Star Lodge in Panama, including accommodations and in-shore fishing. The trip is paired with a trophy fish mount from Gray Taxidermy, providing a lasting keepsake of a standout Dream Boat effort.
Third-place finisher Amir Rajpaul receives a Sea Eagle FishSUP 1210 Swivel Seat Package, a versatile inflatable fishing craft ideal for bays, backwaters, and tight-access areas, making it a practical reward for an angler who spent all season grinding. The package is rounded out with a premium cooler and accessories that complement the SUP setup.
In addition to the top-three prizes, category leaders of all species receive a prize bundle that includes a Tsunami Shield II 4000 Spinning Reel, a $200 Shurhold gift card, a Bulls Bay Karbine Rod and a pair of Tonic Eyewear USA, Outback Sunglasses—useful rewards for anglers who excelled in single-species pursuit. The contest’s monthly awards also continue, with each “Fish of the Month” winner earning a Tsunami Shield II 4000 Spinning Reel and a Dexter Dextreme fillet knife. Even top-ten finishers in each species category receive packs of Gamakatsu hooks and Spro lures as recognition for their skill and consistency throughout the season. It’s a deep and diverse prize structure designed to reward not just the champions, but every angler who fished hard, stayed committed, and earned a place on the board.
It’s a prize structure built to reward effort, consistency, and versatility — exactly what the Dream Boat Challenge is all about.
What Comes After A Dream Boat Title?
After a year of nonstop fishing, record-breaking catches, and thousands of miles on the odometer, Williams’s goals for 2026 are refreshingly simple.
“Back to the roots,” he said. “Fluke fishing Jamaica Bay. And maybe a tuna close to shore” off his new Steiger Craft.
It’s fitting. For all the pressure, intensity, and competitive fire the Dream Boat Challenge demands, Williams’s future plans are grounded in what got him here in the first place: a pure love of fishing.
He’s already a champion — now he gets to fish like one.
