New Hook Shots: Mississippi Gulf Coast Rumble

Hook Shots: Mississippi Gulf Coast Rumble by FieldandStream

I’m a glorified inshore Gulf Coast addict. Not only do I love just about everything that swims in the bayous and passes, but I love the people and the culture in that part of the world. I’ve wet lines in the Gulf in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, but up until this year, I’d yet to make a stop in Mississippi. The plan was pretty loose: Meet my good buddy Ben Romans in Gulfport, and spend three days just off the coast at desolate and beautiful Cat Island with guide Sonny Schindler. As for the fishing, we were interested in anything that would bend a rod, and we certainly weren’t disappointed. Even though Mississippi’s coast is small compared to other states, what we found was low-pressure fishing minus the long runs I’ve grown used to in the Gulf. From acres of mullet getting hammered by huge jacks, to bull reds blowing up bait in the marsh, to sharks screaming reels on the flat, we almost didn’t know which way to turn. This shoot was total blast, and did a great job of letting me know I need to make an annual visit to the Magnolia State. Enjoy the show.