ORLANDO, Fla. – When Hurricane Milton drenched Orlando in October, most people stayed indoors to avoid the post-storm chaos. But not Jake Hutcheson.
The 24-year-old saw the flooded streets of College Park as an opportunity — an opportunity to go fishing.
Armed with a rod, a mullet, a sense of humor and a sense of adventure, Jake turned Edgewater Drive into his own personal fishing spot, creating a viral moment that left people laughing at what they had just witnessed.
During a recent episode of Florida’s Fourth Estate, hosts Matt Austin and Ginger Gadsden revisited the viral video with Jake himself, capturing the magic of the moment that swept across social media.
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The now-viral clip shows Jake, alongside his friend Phil, casting lines right in the middle of flooded Edgewater Drive.
And if that weren’t enough, just as News 6 Investigative reporter, Donovan Myrie, was ready to question Jake about what had just happened, another surreal moment unfolds.
Photojournalist Destiny Santana zooms out to capture a man on a lawnmower cruising by, perfectly timed to add another layer of “Only in Florida” charm. Myrie could barely believe what he was seeing as he continued to set the scene for the people at home.
Once the lawnmower man made his way down the flooded street the focus returned to Jake.
Myrie casually asks the guy who, mind you, is sporting a sweet mullet and holding what appears to be a perfect fishing rod, “Have you ever caught a fish before?” Jake looks at him in disbelief.
His response became an instant classic.
“That’s kind of a disrespectful question to ask,” Jake responded, flashing his megawatt smile while laughing.
That clip has now racked up millions of views.
He has quite a social media following where his slice of Florida life, feel good videos always end with his tag line, “It’s good for ya.”
Jake explained how he has loved fishing since he was a kid. He said he would fish before school, after school or whenever he could.
The conversation turned to Jake’s iconic hairstyle, which he admitted was one of his “best business decisions.” He shared how his mullet helped him land a social media role at a fishing rod company during the pandemic.
“It was kind of unique at the time, and I pitched my supplier on doing TikTok for them,” Jake said. “They gave me a job, and having the mullet on camera just blew everything up.”
Jake’s offbeat humor and laid-back attitude were nothing short of refreshing.
“You’re like a modern-day Forrest Gump,” Ginger said to Jake. “You just show up in the most random situations, and people can’t help but smile.”
Jake credits his parents for his sense of adventure. “Both my parents are very smart and very personable and will talk to anybody,” he explained.
Reflecting on the viral moment’s impact, Jake said he was happy to bring a little joy to others. “We were just going out to have fun,” he said. “Reading the comments later, I realized people really appreciated seeing something lighthearted after a hurricane. That was pretty cool.”
As the interview wrapped up, Matt offered his own appreciation: “Jake, you are wonderful. The next time you’re fishing on Edgewater, call us up-we’ll grab our rods and join you!”
With humor, a mullet, and an easy-going spirit, Jake Hutcheson’s off-road fishing adventure after an awful storm reminds us all to find joy in the unexpected.
If you would like to see what makes Jake such a unique personality you can follow him on Instagram at hutch.jake or on TikTok Jake.Hutcheson. Trust us, it’s good for ya.
You can listen to every episode of Florida’s Fourth Estate in the media player below: