Elijah Youngblood is the black sheep of a harsh, legalistic church in rural Louisiana. Brother Ronny, the preacher, wants to make him into a fisher of men, but Elijah just wants to fish for bass. Despite the church's rejection of his earthly-minded questions and doubts, Georgia, the preacher's daughter, finds a freedom with Elijah that she has never known in her austere home.

Choosing exile rather than abandoning his 'down to earth' faith, Elijah finds refuge in the woods and water, inevitably leading him to a trailer park of misfits, who begin to flourish as a result of his company. Even so, before the well-being of the trailer park and his future with Georgia can be secured, Elijah will have to find a way to get through Brother Ronny, who has no intentions of backing down from the so-called 'redneck prophet.'