Brown Water Banter

Rob Lipolla and Cody join us in the Brown Water Studio to break down everything about the Southern Kingfish Association — a tournament series that's been running since the late nineties across the entire Southeast coast from Texas to North Carolina.
🎣 Rob has been fishing SKA tournaments for roughly 25 years and shares the history of how the organization grew into a major competitive circuit with divisions broken into regions across the Gulf, South Florida, and the Carolinas
🏆 Cody is heading into his third year fishing the SKA and won the small boat division nationals last year after traveling to the East Coast of Florida — that's when the bug really hit
🐟 The tournament format is a two-day event with one fish per day and an aggregate weight of the two fish determining the winner
📍 Biloxi used to host the national championship every year in November because the king mackerel fishery was so strong — tournaments drew several hundred boats with shotgun starts that rivaled the Billfish Classic
📉 The conversation digs into why the Gulf Coast kingfish population has declined — water temperatures rising, salinity changes from Louisiana rain runoff, the lasting effects of the oil spill, overfishing, and better technology putting more pressure on the resource
🤝 Cody talks about what makes the SKA culture different from other tournament circuits — the camaraderie, the family atmosphere, and a community that keeps anglers coming back
👋 Shoutouts to Bobby Carter, Jack Holmes, and the early figures who helped bring SKA tournaments to the Mississippi Gulf Coast before the Billfish Classic even existed
Also big thanks to Southern Magnolia Smiles, Forever Young Men's and Women Health, Taylor and Cox Law Firm, and Cedar Lake Power Equipment for the support! 
Want to be a part of the pelican gang? Check out our merch Here. 
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All our links: https://linktr.ee/brownwaterbanter

Troy Guillotte of Trigger Time TV joins us in the Brown Water Studio for a conversation about firearms, filming, and growing up in Jackson County, Mississippi.
🦌 Troy talks about his Gautier roots and how his dad's influence shaped his love for hunting, fishing, sports, and all things outdoors in South Mississippi
🔫 From magazine junkie to TV host — Troy shares how a fascination with firearms that started at 21 led him to build a career doing what he loves instead of going into insurance or banking
🛠️ The guys bond over building ARs like "a grown man's Lego set" — whiskey, parts, and the never-ending rabbit hole of rails, triggers, barrels, and uppers that can run $5,200 deep
💥 Troy breaks down his go-to firearms — polymer based striker fired nine millimeters from Glock, SIG, HEK, Smith and Wesson, and Walther — and why he says everyone wants a 1911 until you get in a gunfight
📺 Troy opens up about getting to work alongside some of his heroes in the firearms world and chasing a dream that turned into a real career in television
🏠 A conversation rooted in South Mississippi culture — music, food, family, and the kind of rich lifestyle that has nothing to do with money
Watch the Full Episode Here ⬇️
https://youtu.be/ZfxP6OhtnR4
Also big thanks to Southern Magnolia Smiles, Forever Young Men's and Women Health, Taylor and Cox Law Firm, and Cedar Lake Power Equipment for the support! 
Want to be a part of the pelican gang? Check out our merch Here. 
Download our free app:Apple: HereAndroid: Here
All our links: https://linktr.ee/brownwaterbanter
 

Tyler Prowant is back in the Brown Water Banter studio — for what might be his fourth appearance dating all the way back to the old dining room table setup. This time he's got a lot to talk about: his ongoing mission to bring a real skate park to Biloxi through the Gulf Coast Skate Park Association, and the launch of his brand new venture, Mythic Skateboards.
🛹 Tyler has visited 143 different skate parks across the country thanks to his Air Force career taking him everywhere from Belgium to Keesler Air Force Base
✈️ How he strategically planted seeds to become an instructor so he could get stationed back on the Mississippi Gulf Coast near his wife's family
🎥 From Shotgun Skateboards to Mythic Skateboards — Tyler's evolution as a skate brand creator and nonprofit advocate
💡 His best advice for young people: "Let time carry the weight" — plan like you're going to be here tomorrow
❤️ The social magic of skateboarding and how filming clips kept him connected to family and friends during deployments — including his late father who was always his biggest fan
🏗️ The continuing push to make a DIY skate park a reality in Biloxi, Mississippi
🎣 Plus — the Brown Water Bash is April 18 at Dewy Dew Bugz in D'Iberville! Veterans fish free, registration is live at brownwaterbanter.com, and you can turn a hard head catfish into a thousand dollars
Watch the Full Episode Here ⬇️
https://youtu.be/fszaCA6XOOA
Also big thanks to Southern Magnolia Smiles, Forever Young Men's and Women Health, Taylor and Cox Law Firm, and Cedar Lake Power Equipment for the support! 
Want to be a part of the pelican gang? Check out our merch Here. 
Download our free app:Apple: HereAndroid: Here
All our links: https://linktr.ee/brownwaterbanter

Griffin and Wyatt from Gulfside Detailing and Armor Co. sit down in the Brown Water Studio to talk about how they built their detailing business from the ground up right here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
🚗 Griffin traces the journey from H and M detailing to working car washes on Pass Road to building enough leads and funds to buy his first trailer
🎥 Wyatt got hooked watching detailing reels on Instagram, started practicing on personal vehicles at home, and eventually linked up with his longtime buddy Griffin
🛥️ The duo went from cars to boats and got certified through Yacht Armor, which became the catalyst for launching Gulfside Detailing and Armor Co.
💡 Both guys are Biloxi locals who talk openly about failing a couple times before finding their footing as entrepreneurs.
📣 The Brown Water Bash 2026 is coming April 18 at Dewey Dew Bugs in D'Iberville — featuring gaff top, white trout, black drum, and redfish divisions where you can turn a hardhead catfish into a thousand dollars. Registration is open with five anglers already signed up!
Watch the Full Episode Here ⬇️
https://youtube.com/live/cBYXtnZjV9Y?feature=share
Also big thanks to Southern Magnolia Smiles, Forever Young Men's and Women Health, Taylor and Cox Law Firm, and Cedar Lake Power Equipment for the support! 
Want to be a part of the pelican gang? Check out our merch Here. 
Download our free app:Apple: HereAndroid: Here
All our links: https://linktr.ee/brownwaterbanter

Another Department of Marine Resources-sponsored episode of Brown Water Banter welcoming back Michael Lee (Hatchery Bureau Director and Manager of the Lyman Hatchery) and Matt Hill (Deputy Director of Marine Fisheries) for a deep dive into what's happening with Mississippi's fish stock enhancement programs.
🐟 Michael Lee breaks down the history of the Lyman Hatchery — built in the 1930s as a freshwater facility stocking everything from crappie to pond fish, now fully converted into a marine hatchery focused on speckled trout and southern flounder stock enhancement
🏗️ The hatchery transitioned from the Gulf Coast Research Lab around 2017, with the DMR building out recirculating systems capable of saltwater spawning and larval aquaculture inside what was once strictly an earthen pond freshwater operation
🎣 The crew tackles a listener question from Rudy Bellius about saltwater fishing license requirements — clarifying that if you have a lifetime sportsman's license, you do NOT need a separate saltwater fishing license (correcting a previous episode's misstep)
🐠 Discussion on why striped bass are showing up on the Mississippi Coast — older fish may be holdovers from Larry Nicholson's striper program with the last releases around 2015, while smaller fish under 25 inches are likely hybrid striped bass released through Ocean Springs High School's aquaculture program
🏫 Michael Lee supplies fish to high school aquaculture programs, working around school year schedules that don't always align with natural spawning cycles — sourcing natural gulf stripers from a blackwater hatchery in Florida
🔬 Matt Hill describes his role keeping the machine running — overseeing the hatchery, artificial reef program, and finfish program while making sure people like Mike have what they need to do the real work
📣 The Brown Water Bash 2026 is coming April 18 at Dewey Dew Bugs in D'Iberville — featuring gaff top, white trout, black drum, and redfish divisions where you can turn a hardhead catfish into a thousand dollars. Registration is open with five anglers already signed up!
Watch the Full Episode Here ⬇️
https://youtube.com/live/hhwv_NBNlh0?feature=share 
Also big thanks to Southern Magnolia Smiles, Forever Young Men's and Women Health, and Taylor and Cox Law Firm,  for the support! 
Want to be a part of the pelican gang? Check out our merch Here. 
Download our free app:Apple: HereAndroid: Here
All our links: https://linktr.ee/brownwaterbanter

Three local tackle makers. Three different stories. One thing they all had in common — they got tired of buying gear that didn’t quite do what they wanted it to do, so they started building their own. In this episode, we sit down with Tim Holden of T3 Tackle Outdoors, Justin Melton of Skinny Water Innovations, and Len Shinenberry of Shinenberry Tackle to talk about how each of them turned a love for fishing into something bigger.
🎣 Tim talks about starting T3 Tackle Outdoors with his kids in mind and building jig heads that actually hold up for the way we fish around here, including sheephead jigs and soft plastic jig heads designed for local redfish and inshore fishing. 🧪 Justin breaks down how Skinny Water Innovations came out of being tired of burning through expensive soft plastics, then going down the rabbit hole of molds, plastisol blends, and testing different baits until he found something that worked for Gulf Coast conditions. 🪵 Landon Chenevert of Chenevert Tackle shares how his tackle-making story actually started when he was a kid carving topwater plugs out of driftwood from Bellefontaine Beach before later getting back into it through custom popping corks. 🏪 The conversation also gets into local stores like Foul Play, Islander Outfitters, and Nelson’s supporting local makers and what it feels like to see something you built with your own hands end up on the shelves.🤝 We also talk about how all three of these guys came together, the role social media played in helping them connect, and why building a stronger local tackle scene matters more than competing over scraps.
This was a solid conversation about fishing, family, trial and error, local business, and the kind of grassroots creativity that keeps the Gulf Coast outdoors culture moving forward.
Watch the Full Episode Here ⬇️
https://youtube.com/live/8NooJTA7vj0?feature=share
Also big thanks to Southern Magnolia Smiles, Forever Young Men's and Women Health, and Taylor and Cox Law Firm,  for the support! 
Want to be a part of the pelican gang? Check out our merch Here. 
Download our free app:Apple: HereAndroid: Here
All our links: https://linktr.ee/brownwaterbanter

Martin and Kayla from Soulless Innovations join us in the studio to break down how their Gulfport business grew from building truck parts in a garage into a full-time fabrication shop. Martin talks about getting started in the automotive world by working on his own trucks, while Kayla explains how the business found its niche and what eventually allowed them to go all in on it.
⚙️ How Soulless Innovations grew from garage builds into a full-time business🚘 The story behind their custom notch tanks for 1961–1972 Ford F-100s🔥 Why moving the fuel tank from behind the seat solved a real problem for truck owners🔩 How Martin designed a direct bolt-in replacement using factory holes without extra cutting or drilling⛽ How their tanks work with newer EFI swaps and why that product became such a major part of the business🎥 Martin teaching himself welding through YouTube and the trial-and-error that came with it🎨 How Kayla’s design background fits into the business and helps shape the brand🎣 Why Soulless Innovations decided to support Brown Water Bash and back the Hard Head division payout
This episode is a solid mix of custom truck culture, fabrication, entrepreneurship, and Gulf Coast grit from two people building something real from the ground up.
Watch the full episode here ⬇️
https://youtube.com/live/HcGOd28D8uo?feature=share
Also big thanks to Southern Magnolia Smiles, Forever Young Men's and Women Health, and Taylor and Cox Law Firm,  for the support! 
Want to be a part of the pelican gang? Check out our merch Here. 
Download our free app:Apple: HereAndroid: Here
All our links: https://linktr.ee/brownwaterbanter

In this episode we talk with Patrol Captain Mike Strickland and Biologists Eric Giolio from the Department of Marine Resources to clear up some of the biggest questions Mississippi boaters and anglers have about what’s legal, what’s not, and what people get wrong once they hit the water. The conversation covers boating safety, no-wake zones, fishing licenses, and how DMR’s role ties into both conservation and enforcement.
🎣 What Mississippi anglers need to know about licenses, trout, redfish, and offshore regulations🚤 Why boating and water safety take priority during the busiest times of the year⚓ How no-wake zones, anchored boats, and common on-the-water mistakes can get people in trouble🐟 Why red snapper rules confuse so many people and how state versus federal seasons affect what you can legally bring in📊 How Mississippi is working to improve fisheries data through programs like MS Creel and better track what anglers are actually catching
This episode is packed with useful information for anyone fishing or boating on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and helps explain the rules in a way that actually makes sense.
Watch the full episode here ⬇️
https://youtube.com/live/Wl-1uxQ9cpA?feature=share
Also big thanks to Southern Magnolia Smiles, Forever Young Men's and Women Health, and Taylor and Cox Law Firm,  for the support! 
Want to be a part of the pelican gang? Check out our merch Here. 
Download our free app:Apple: HereAndroid: Here
All our links: https://linktr.ee/brownwaterbanter

On this episode of Brown Water Banter, we sit down with Donnie Handler and Josh Heppel from the Gulf Coast Raiders to talk about what they are building on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. What starts as a football conversation turns into something much bigger — a discussion about leadership, discipline, respect, and creating real opportunities for players who need a shot both on and off the field. The episode also dives into how the team evolved from its earlier days into the Raiders brand and what it takes to keep a developmental football program moving forward.
🏈 The story behind the Gulf Coast Raiders and how the team was built💪 Why this program is about more than wins and losses🇺🇸 How football helped shape purpose, structure, and giving back📍 What the Raiders want to represent on the Mississippi Gulf Coast🔥 The culture, identity, and standards they are trying to set for developmental football🛡️ Why respect, family, and community are at the center of the Raiders brand
This episode gives you a real look at the people behind the organization, the purpose driving the program, and why the Raiders are trying to build something that lasts. If you care about Gulf Coast football, local community, and stories about building something from the ground up, this is a good one.
Watch the full episode here ⬇️
https://youtube.com/live/gJG8n7QibBs?feature=share
Also big thanks to Southern Magnolia Smiles, Forever Young Men's and Women Health, and Taylor and Cox Law Firm,  for the support! 
Want to be a part of the pelican gang? Check out our merch Here. 
Download our free app:Apple: HereAndroid: Here
All our links: https://linktr.ee/brownwaterbanter

Beau and Chelsea from BayouBos Outdoors join us in the Brown Water studio to tell the story of how they packed up their life in Missouri, left behind a high-powered job, and moved their family to the Mississippi Gulf Coast to chase something bigger than a paycheck — time, freedom, and life on the water.
In this episode, we dive into:
🎣 Why they chose Bay St. Louis over Florida🌊 How a random Facebook post during an ice storm exploded into a real business🚚 The leap of faith that brought them south just three weeks ago🛶 Their plan to make kayak and paddleboard rentals affordable and family-friendly🏆 The BayouBos Fishing Bounty tournament happening April 11 at The Blind Tiger
Beau talks about growing up fishing the Lake of the Ozarks, chasing 100-pound catfish, and realizing saltwater offered a whole new addiction. Chelsea shares what it’s like moving states for the first time, downsizing, and betting on a dream so their kids can grow up outside instead of in front of a screen.
We also break down how their fishing tournament unexpectedly blew up after one Facebook post during the Gulf Coast ice storm — turning a small local idea into a major community event
This is what happens when you stop waiting for “someday” and just go.
If you’re into Gulf Coast life, small business grit, family moves, fishing tournaments, or just betting on yourself — this one’s for you.
Listen now and come see BayouBos in action.
Watch the full episode here ⬇️
https://youtu.be/jXGcZYvPjgA?si=p6teEc3E_Pt43GF-
Also big thanks to Southern Magnolia Smiles, Forever Young Men's and Women Health, and Taylor and Cox Law Firm,  for the support! 
Want to be a part of the pelican gang? Check out our merch Here. 
Download our free app:Apple: HereAndroid: Here
All our links: https://linktr.ee/brownwaterbanter