Mississippi is the Hospitality State — and few people have done more to prove it than Robert St. John. In this episode of the Mississippi Outdoors Podcast, Matt Wyatt sits down with the Hattiesburg restaurateur, author, and travel host to talk about food, Mississippi, and a career that started because he flunked out of college.

Mississippi Outdoors is produced by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you've driven the Natchez Trace on a rainy night south of I-20 and seen someone out there with a safety vest and a flashlight, that's zoologist Tom Mann — and he's been out there for over a decade studying Webster's salamanders.

Tom joins the Mississippi Outdoors Podcast to explain what Webster salamanders are, why scientists thought they didn't migrate, and how he and his wife Deb proved them wrong by spending years watching what the animals actually did instead of what the textbooks said.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb Covington, MDWFP's State Lakes Coordinator, joins the Mississippi Outdoors Podcast to talk about getting started fishing in Mississippi — whether you're an adult picking it up for the first time or a parent looking to introduce your kids to the water.

Caleb and Matt break down what gear you actually need to get started, where you can go without a boat or private land access, and why bream fishing with a cork and a cricket is still one of the best ways to fall in love with the sport. They also talk about patience when introducing kids, why a push-button spincast reel beats a baitcaster for beginners, and why it's okay to leave early the first few times.

MDWFP has a whole resource page at mdwfp.com/justaddwater with knot guides, bait recommendations, an interactive fishing spot map, and bait shop locations across Mississippi.

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America 250 celebrations are coming to Mississippi State Parks this July 4th, and there's no better time to plan your summer getaway!

Josh Hinton, park manager at LeFleur's Bluff State Park, joins the Mississippi Outdoors Podcast to share everything you need to know about camping in Mississippi this summer.

He covers how to stay cool when you can't beat the heat, why moving air is the key to both comfort and keeping bugs off, what thermacell devices actually do and how to use them, and why hydrating the night before matters more than most people realize. He also walks through what Mississippi state parks offer in terms of facilities and amenities, what the rules are around pets, firearms, fireworks, and music, and how to book a spot online.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.