South Louisiana has a long, rich history of delicious Cajun dishes like gumbos and jambalayas. A big part of what makes these meals so great is the seafood fished in them from the Gulf of Mexico. The men and women who operate the shrimp boats that fish for seafood must be both hardworking and cunning, finding the optimal strategy to land the best catch. They are the "Captains of the Gulf".

Captains of the Gulf is a thematic action selection game, full of flavor. In the game, 2-4 players each pilot a fishing boat in the Gulf of Mexico, hoping to make the biggest profit over eight game turns. The players attempt to upgrade their fishing boat, add crew members, and then fish for crabs, oysters, and shrimp before delivering them to ports.

Maps are multifunctional; they are added to the player mat at the top (licenses), on the left (crew), or on the right (boat upgrade). Furthermore, when you fish, you have to play them from your hand.