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!
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