Kelly Hinkle’s (aka The Downeast Cowboy) fishing vessel, The Allegiance. Instagram video still courtesy of Kelly Hinkle

Fisherman Kelly Hinkle is known online as The Downeast Cowboy and has sizable followings on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.

Hinkle is from Addison and lives in Columbia Falls, by Pleasant River.

He primarily fishes for lobster in Eastern Harbor and often is live on TikTok, broadcasting the hauling of lobster traps with his father, Ron.

Hinkle also shares off-the-boat footage, including from a recent visit to the Maine Oyster Festival in Freeport and Lawrence’s Lakeside Cabins in Rockwood.

A content creator for more than a decade, Hinkle is an author and has written five children’s books, all set in Maine. Plus, he has a Downeast Cowboy and F/V Allegiance clothing line.

Hinkle said his foray into social media started with sharing photography of Maine places and things he sees. “It has evolved into exploring different parts of Maine and showcasing different businesses and landmarks through Maine in a blog style format.”

Hinkle uses his platforms to share knowledge. “I have a series on lobster education, explaining ‘how we do it,’ showing the different techniques of lobster fishing and talking about the regulations and the behind the scenes of the fisheries.”

“My goal is to try to showcase Maine in a unique way and encourage people to check it out,” said Hinkle, whose catchphrase is “Get at it.”