Falling for catfish in the Mississippi Delta

A sticker on the front door of Larry’s Fish House makes clear owner Larry Kelly’s opposition to same-sex marriage, but he says he wouldn’t — and doesn’t — turn away LGBTQ customers.  (Jay Jones / Chicago Tribune)

A wall hanging at Larry’s Fish House speaks to Southerners’ love of sweet tea. The Mississippi restaurant only serves soft drinks.  (Jay Jones / Chicago Tribune)

A fiberglass sculpture of a catfish in a firefighter motif sits outside the fire station in Belzoni, Miss. Dozens of catfish sculptures grace the streets of this town in the catfish-raising region of the state.  (Jay Jones / Chicago Tribune)

In addition to a popular restaurant, Larry Kelly operates a catering business that serves his catfish to people throughout the region.  (Jay Jones / Chicago Tribune)

Catfish feed on grain pellets at the U.S. Agriculture Department aquaculture center in Stoneville, Miss. The center is developing fast-spawning, disease-resistant catfish to keep American fish competitive in the world marketplace.  (Jay Jones / Chicago Tribune)

A catfish sculpture in Belzoni is painted to look like Uncle Sam.  (Jay Jones / Chicago Tribune)

Owner and chef Larry Kelly carries a basket of fried catfish toward the buffet at his restaurant, Larry’s Fish House.  (Jay Jones / Chicago Tribune)