Where the Mississippi meets the Gulf of Mexico in Venice, Louisiana, husband-and-wife team Eric and Moe Newman excel at providing an all-inclusive experience for guests who love fishing and delicious food cooked onTraeger grills. Traeger on the Menu highlights places around the world where wood-fired flavor is always on the menu.\xa0

★★★★★

At Moe and Eric Newman’s all-inclusive outfitter, Journey South, it’s all about fishing, food, and fellowship. The Newmans both grew up fishing in the south, and while Moe became the Gulf Coast’s only female offshore captain, Eric honed his skills as a chef in fine dining restaurants before opening his own upscale bistro. Now, at Journey South Outfitters, they spend their days taking out groups of anglers on the boat and cooking up delicious meals.\xa0

Inshore to offshore and fly fishing to conventional—reeling in everything from redfin to swordfish and cobia never gets old for JSO guests. But, along with adventurous days on the water, anglers are treated to a taste of the Gulf Coast.

Eric starts the day off with bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches cooked on theirFlatrock™ Flat Top Grill. For lunch on the water, it’s JSO’s famous boat sandwiches with tender and flavorful swordfish or yellowfin tuna topped with everything from mayo to hot sauce and fresh bell peppers. At 6:30 p.m. sharp, dinner is served, featuring a little something special cooked on theirTraegerevery night.

For the Newmans, JSO is more than just an outfitter. It’s an opportunity to practice their mission of sustainability. Moe and Eric believe in responsibly harvesting seafood and game with the intent to leave a diverse fishery and wildlife area that lasts for generations. This conservation mindset shows in their cooking, too.

“One thing that’s a big hit is our snapper collars and fish collars,” Eric says. “We’ll do them grilled, and we also do fried collars.”

Eric’s fish collars feature an often-overlooked part of the fish that most anglers toss in the trash. He cooks them up because of their flavor, but also to show anglers what they can do with their entire catch.

Wood-fired oysters are another go-to with an oyster fishery 15 minutes from JSO’s home base. And, Eric is always excited to share southern recipes. His favorite is mirliton—a squash-like vegetable also known as chayote—stuffed with garlic, onion, bell pepper, crab meat, and any kind of game available to top it off.

No matter what you reel in on the water with Moe, Eric will turn your fresh catch into a fine meal from boat to table. At JSO, good fishing meets great food and true southern hospitality.