Iron Catch: Exploring Charleston's Salt Marsh Cuisine

What is Iron Catch?

Iron Catch is a MadLadTV short film documenting the complete journey of food — from fishing Charleston’s salt marsh waters to cooking fresh catch over open fire using cast iron on Folly Beach.

When the tide pushes in and the Lowcountry air turns heavy with salt, Charleston, South Carolina shows its truest form.

The team fishing at Folly River one of the most ecologically important systems in the world.

This story begins not in the open ocean, but in the Folly River salt marsh, one of the most ecologically important systems in the world. Here, high-salinity water flows through oyster flats and pinch points that act as feeding corridors for predatory fish. It’s a place Captain Ben Powers knows intimately — after spending tens of thousands of hours on these waterways, learning how tide, current, and bait movement dictate everything.

All four in the shot: Ethan Kaiser, Hector Garate, Graham Calabria, and Ben Powers.

Joined by Hector Garate of Palmira BBQ and fire-focused chef Graham Calabria, the mission is simple but demanding: fish with intention, take only what the water offers, and cook it the right way.

The day unfolds organically.
Speckled trout are pulled from seam lines using popping corks that mimic shrimp — a visual and auditory trigger for trout feeding in shallow marsh water. As the tide rises and oyster beds submerge, the group adapts, moving locations instead of forcing a bite.

Then opportunity presents itself.
Spanish mackerel erupt near the channel edge — fast, fleeting, and unpredictable. Lines switch quickly. A fish is landed… and escapes just as fast. Nothing is forced. Nothing is wasted.

The final harvest comes from structure — sheepshead, notoriously difficult to catch, feeding delicately on crustaceans around pilings. Mussels are rigged carefully. Patience replaces aggression. When one finally comes over the rail, it’s handled with respect — because this fish didn’t come easy, and it didn’t come young.

Back on land at Folly Beach, the transformation begins.
Fire is built by hand. Pineapple is charred to caramelize natural sugars. Citrus is segmented. Herbs are picked fresh. Using YETI cast iron cookware, the fish is cooked directly over flame — butter, basil, smoke, and salt air combining into something honest and earned.

This isn’t sport fishing.
This is sustenance.

Iron Catch isn’t about chasing perfection.
It’s about honoring place, process, and the people you share a meal with.

🎬 Watch the full short film on MadLadTV:
👉 https://madladfilms.com/portfolio/yeti-the-iron-catch/

👉 Looking to tell stories rooted in experience, place, and purpose?

Love the chase?
🎬 Watch more from MadLad Films as Broomsedge Rod & Gun takes us deep into Chasing Feathers.