Another July 2025 American Gulf Fishing Trip: Brown Neck Edition (Vol. 1)
It was another classic weekend down on the Gulf Coast, and we decided to take full advantage by heading offshore for what turned out to be an unforgettable trip. This wasn’t your average fishing day, it was one for the books. Joining me on this adventure were my father and two friends I met at the University of Florida (Go Gators!), Ahan and Archit — fellow Brown Necks ready to experience the Gulf of America.
Ahan’s no stranger to fishing, having grown up casting lines around Jacksonville, but for Archit, this was his first time ever fishing saltwater. And neither of them had ever fished the Gulf before. As we launched from Longboat Pass and throttled 30–35 miles offshore, the excitement was building.
Once we arrived at the first spot, I gave Ahan and Archit a quick rundown — how to hook bait, what to expect with the fight, and how to reel fish up from 100 feet below. They needed some help at first, but both of them got the hang of it quickly. That spot didn’t disappoint: we pulled up Lane Snapper, Vermillion Snapper, and some undersized Red Grouper — a strong start to the day, filling the cooler early with snapper.
The next few spots were a little trickier. We started losing some big fish to the bottom — classic Gulf fishing heartbreaks. But even with the challenges, my dad and Ahan both landed some solid keeper Red Grouper. One moment that had us all cracking up was when Ahan and I were both hooked up and ended up tangled — basically in a tug-of-war with two fish, nearly pulling each other overboard!
When the bite slowed down, we moved around, but the next couple of spots only gave us trash fish. Pinfish, lizardfish, and tomtate grunts. Which is not ideal.
That’s when we made a call to hit a spot we call “Jurassic Park”. A place known for variety, including sharks and the occasional underwater monster. And boy, did “Jurassic Park” live up to its name.
We started with more Lane and Vermillion Snapper and a few undersized Gag and Red Grouper. But then came the monsters. First, Archit hooked into something massive that bent his rod and took him into the rocks that ended up cutting his line off. Then my dad’s rod snapped clean in half as something ran so hard he couldn’t even gain line. Ahan was up next, and his fish took off fast. So fast, he nearly went overboard. I had to grab the rod and help pull him back. Finally, it was my turn. I dropped a lure, hooked something big, and my drag screamed. I couldn’t even turn the fish. It ended up coming off, but I got my lure back. No monsters in the boat, but the stories they left behind will stick with us.
After the chaos, we kept working the spot and added more snapper to the box. Eventually, the bite shut off again, and we decided to head in. But the Gulf wasn’t done with us yet.
On the way back, my dad spotted a floating piece of debris with a fish under it. We circled around and, sure enough it was a Tripletail. We tied on a live bait and pitched to it again and again. It took 5–8 casts, but on the last one, as I reeled in, I watched the fish chase and crush the bait right at the surface and it was fish on! It fought hard for five minutes before we got it in the boat. It measured out to 14.5 inches, just under keeper size. So we released it. Still, an epic catch to top off the day.
By the time we pulled back into the dock, we had counted 36 fish in the cooler. But what mattered even more was the experience. The memories made with my dad and two new Brown Necks who left the boat smiling from ear to ear. At the dock, Ahan and Archit told me how much fun they had. They said, “You’re one of the few brown dudes out here doing this seriously and you’re amazing at explaining everything. You should run trips someday.”
That kind of feedback means the world to me. People like Ahan and Archit are exactly why I started the Brown Neck Brand. They remind me why I do this. Not only to fish, but to create space for people like us in the outdoor world. I’m proud to share my passion, and even prouder to hook more people into the Brown Neck lifestyle.
To see more from this trip, check out the full recap on our Instagram page by clicking the link below!
Instagram Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/DMomgxlNo1B/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==