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Captain Zach Courtney from ChEnected Charters joins us to talk all things offshore fishing out of Mary Walker Marina in Gautier, Mississippi. From his freshwater roots in Brandon to chasing 200-pound yellowfin tuna in a 25-foot Sea Hunt, Zach breaks down how he built his charter business from the ground up and why he's all-in on blue water fishing out of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
🎣 How growing up bass fishing on an 18-acre lake and making trips to Ship Island as a kid eventually led to a full-blown case of "yellow fever" for yellowfin tuna
⛽ Running a 25-foot Sea Hunt with 140 gallons of fuel to Ram Powell and barely making it back — and the time his Invincible ran dry three miles south of Petti Bois with a 202-pound tuna on board
🧪 The chemical engineering degree from Ole Miss (after playing football at East Mississippi Community College) and how that background shaped the name Connected Charters
🗺️ Why Mary Walker Marina is perfectly positioned for offshore runs — from snapper on the triple rigs to tuna at Ram Powell, Horn Mountain, and even south of the Mississippi River with the Venice fleet
📡 How Hilton's satellite imaging platform is worth its weight in gold for reading chlorophyll, currents, and tracking drill ship locations before ever leaving the dock
🐟 The difference between summer and winter tuna seasons — long runs with live bait in summer versus short runs with dead bait and topwater poppers in winter, and why January 2025 was the best month of tuna fishing he's ever seen
⚔️ Swordfish stories including hand-lining a 211-pound sword after the rod exploded during the Mud Marlin Classic — and finishing second by just 25 pounds
🎯 Why small hooks and light leader are the secret to getting bit, and how blue runners are his go-to all-purpose bait even though they're smart enough to swim right back under the boat
🔥 The current mahi explosion offshore, bait balls so thick poogies were landing on the bow, and why the water has been chocolate milk from the river all the way out to 100 miles
🥩 Pro tips on preserving yellowfin — leave the skin on, freeze in large chunks, never rinse with water, and let it come to room temp before searing until it cuts like ice cream
🎵 A shoutout to Dick Jagger, whose fishing anthem "Raise One Up" name-drops ChEnected Charters with the lyric "in the sippy, you know that your boys stay connected"
Also big thanks to Southern Magnolia Smiles, Forever Young Men's and Women Health, Taylor and Cox Law Firm, and Ensured Roofing Company for the support!
🎵 From the dock to the deck — the fish rap nobody asked for but everybody needs. Listen to “Here Fishy Fishy”
Want to be a part of the Pelican Gang?
Check out our merch Here.
Download our free app: Apple: Here Android: Here
All our links: Here
Captain Zach Courtney from ChEnected Charters joins us to talk all things offshore fishing out of Mary Walker Marina in Gautier, Mississippi. From his freshwater roots in Brandon to chasing 200-pound yellowfin tuna in a 25-foot Sea Hunt, Zach breaks down how he built his charter business from the ground up and why he's all-in on blue water fishing out of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
🎣 How growing up bass fishing on an 18-acre lake and making trips to Ship Island as a kid eventually led to a full-blown case of "yellow fever" for yellowfin tuna
⛽ Running a 25-foot Sea Hunt with 140 gallons of fuel to Ram Powell and barely making it back — and the time his Invincible ran dry three miles south of Petti Bois with a 202-pound tuna on board
🧪 The chemical engineering degree from Ole Miss (after playing football at East Mississippi Community College) and how that background shaped the name Connected Charters
🗺️ Why Mary Walker Marina is perfectly positioned for offshore runs — from snapper on the triple rigs to tuna at Ram Powell, Horn Mountain, and even south of the Mississippi River with the Venice fleet
📡 How Hilton's satellite imaging platform is worth its weight in gold for reading chlorophyll, currents, and tracking drill ship locations before ever leaving the dock
🐟 The difference between summer and winter tuna seasons — long runs with live bait in summer versus short runs with dead bait and topwater poppers in winter, and why January 2025 was the best month of tuna fishing he's ever seen
⚔️ Swordfish stories including hand-lining a 211-pound sword after the rod exploded during the Mud Marlin Classic — and finishing second by just 25 pounds
🎯 Why small hooks and light leader are the secret to getting bit, and how blue runners are his go-to all-purpose bait even though they're smart enough to swim right back under the boat
🔥 The current mahi explosion offshore, bait balls so thick poogies were landing on the bow, and why the water has been chocolate milk from the river all the way out to 100 miles
🥩 Pro tips on preserving yellowfin — leave the skin on, freeze in large chunks, never rinse with water, and let it come to room temp before searing until it cuts like ice cream
🎵 A shoutout to Dick Jagger, whose fishing anthem "Raise One Up" name-drops ChEnected Charters with the lyric "in the sippy, you know that your boys stay connected"
Also big thanks to Southern Magnolia Smiles, Forever Young Men's and Women Health, Taylor and Cox Law Firm, and Ensured Roofing Company for the support!
🎵 From the dock to the deck — the fish rap nobody asked for but everybody needs. Listen to “Here Fishy Fishy”
Want to be a part of the Pelican Gang?
Check out our merch Here.
Download our free app: Apple: Here Android: Here
All our links: Here
Fishing, hunting, and life on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Brown Water Banter is a long-form conversation with the charter captains, biologists, business owners, and local characters who actually work these waters — from Bay St. Louis to Pascagoula, and everywhere between. Snapper season and DMR regs one week, the guy who built a music venue inside a church the next. No script, no polish, just people worth listening to. Hosted by Jared Seymour and Joey Cates. 360+ episodes since 2018.
Pull up a chair and pour one.