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Learn More About Fishing North Carolina’s Crystal Coast

Beaufort, Atlantic Beach, Emerald Isle & the Crystal Coast

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No Shadow - you’re welcome. BUT did you know the groundhog is only right less than 40% of the time?

Here’s to one more revolution around the sun

#43 #groundhogday #PennsylvaniaDutch
Switched gears for a few days and fished jnside - good smattering of trout, reds, black drum and sheepshead. This 8.5lb sheepshead was our catch of the day!

One thing people don’t realize about #sheepshead is how slow they grow - a 5lb+ fish in the Carolina’s is over 15-20yrs old. Bigger fish like this are likely in their 20s!

enough!

#speckledtrout #redfish #flounder #inshorefishing #mercurymarine #contenderboats

#lighttackle #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild
#zman #finsfishing #rapala #heedthecall #fishing #topwaterfishing #beaufortnc #moreheadcitync #atlanticbeach #atlanticbeachnc #emeraldisle #emeraldislenc #crystalcoast #crystalcoastnc #harkersisland #coresound #capelookout #americansaltwaterguidesassociation #betterbusinessthroughconservation #waterdogguideservice
A welcome site after a few tough days of sledding. N25 but we ground out a few!

#templeforkoutfitters #orvisflyfishing #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #saltwaterguidesassociation
#flyfishingguide #guideservice #falsealbacore #albies #albiesonthefly #catchandrelease #beaufortnc #beaufort #harkersisland #crystalcoast #capelookout #emeraldisle #stripstrike #doublehaul #onthefly #saltwaterflyfishing #flyfishing #flyfish #flyfishnc #ncflyfishing #sightfishing #saltwaterguidesassociation #waterdogguideservice
You never know what you may see out there - particularly on a slick calm day when every ripple and disturbance stands out. This big hammerhead cruised right on by when we were catching #amberjack and #false albacore over a wreck.

#sharks #hammerhead #hammerheadshark #templeforkoutfitters #orvisflyfishing #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #saltwaterguidesassociation
#flyfishingguide #guideservice #albiesonthefly #catchandrelease #beaufortnc #beaufort #harkersisland #crystalcoast #capelookout #emeraldisle #stripstrike #doublehaul #onthefly #saltwaterflyfishing #flyfishing #flyfish #flyfishnc #ncflyfishing #sightfishing #waterdogguideservice
Albies. Some days have been exceptional. Some days just good. Some days the wind has blown. Other days have been tough. But that is part of the excitement of chasing these amazing fish - the bit of luck when all those conditions align and you get to experience that magical day.

#templeforkoutfitters #orvisflyfishing #seewhatsoutthere  #findyourwild #saltwaterguidesassociation 
#flyfishingguide #guideservice  #falsealbacore #albies #albiesonthefly #catchandrelease #beaufortnc #beaufort #harkersisland #crystalcoast #capelookout #emeraldisle #stripstrike #doublehaul #onthefly #saltwaterflyfishing #flyfishing #flyfish #flyfishnc #ncflyfishing #sightfishing #waterdogguideservice
As good as it gets. All day long. Still have some open October dates. 

#falsealbacore #albies #onthefly #saltwaterflyfishing #lighttackle #capelookout #harkersisland #beaufort #beaufortnc #crystalcoast #crystalcoastnc 

#contenderboats #mercurymarine #templeforkoutfitters #daiwa #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #getoutdoors
Jessie and her hard earned #wahoo from an epic day of #offshorefishing !

#beaufort #beaufortnc #emeraldislenc #emeraldislenc #moreheadcitync #atlanticbeachnc #contenderboats #mercurymarine #mercury #daiwa #zmanfishing #templeforkoutfitters #finsbraid #costasunglasses #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #waterdogguideservice
Dave and Jesse, who’ve been fishing with me for a long long time, wanted the express credit for landing the first billfish on the contender - and it was hause of a sail too!  Just one highlight of an amazing, beautiful day offshore!

#billfish #sailfish #offshorefishing #beaufort #beaufortnc #emeraldislenc #emeraldislenc #moreheadcitync #atlanticbeachnc #contenderboats #mercurymarine #mercury #daiwa #zmanfishing #templeforkoutfitters #finsbraid #costasunglasses #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #waterdogguideservice
With the capabilities of my new @contenderboatsofficial 28T I’ve really started expanding my horizons as I can reliably fish offshore a lot more days. One of those things has been deep dropping for tilefish and snowy grouper - among other things! Here’s me with a 8.5lb blueline tilefish and a snowy from a recent fun day. Put the #daiwa tanacoms to work this day!

#deepdropping #deepdrop 
#mercurymarine #templeforkoutfitters #finsbraid #grouper #offshorefishing #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #fishtoeat #costasunglasses #beaufort #beaufortnc #emeraldislenc #crystalcoast #crystalcoastnc #waterdogguideservice
yellow cheek wrasse. ID thanks to my neighborhood ichthyological expert

Never know what you might catch #offshore bottom fishing!

#offshorefishing #beaufort #beaufortnc #emeraldislenc #emeraldislenc #moreheadcitync #atlanticbeachnc #contenderboats #mercurymarine #mercury #daiwa #zmanfishing #templeforkoutfitters #finsbraid #costasunglasses #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #waterdogguideservice
This is by far my catch of the year - and I doubt I’ll top it (this year anyway!). This spiny lobster went 12.5lb on the scale and had a taste for squid getting tangled in a beeliner/trigger rig. My freak out was one for the ages. A common find by divers in our area, and a rare but not uncommon hook and line catch for bottomfishers!

#spinylobster #bugs #lobster 

A big thanks to @marshhester for the awesome photo! 

#grouper #offshorefishing #beaufort #beaufortnc #emeraldislenc #emeraldislenc #moreheadcitync #atlanticbeachnc #contenderboats #mercurymarine #mercury #daiwa #zmanfishing #templeforkoutfitters #finsbraid #costasunglasses #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #waterdogguideservice
The albies have shown in great numbers the last couple weeks at cape lookout. Was able to tag a dozen this past weekend for the @saltwaterguidesassociation #albieproject ! Great fishing and helping gather needed science to protect this valuable fishery for future generations!

#falsealbacore #saltwaterflyfishing #onthefly #orvisflyfishing 

#mercurymarine #contenderboatsofficial

#seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild
#zman #finsfishing #rapala #heedthecall #fishing #gottabenc #beaufortnc #moreheadcitync #moreheadcity #atlanticbeach #atlanticbeachnc #emeraldisle #emeraldislenc #crystalcoast #crystalcoastnc #harkersisland #coresound #capelookout #americansaltwaterguidesassociation #betterbusinessthroughconservation #waterdogguideservice
Another view of that #smoker. 38lbs Mike did a great job getting her to the boat! 

#smoker #kingmackerel #kingfish #treblehooksandwire #gofast #contenderboatsofficial #mercurymarine

#daiwa #templeforkoutfitters #finsbraid #offshorefishing #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #fishtoeat #costasunglasses #beaufort #beaufortnc #emeraldislenc #crystalcoast #crystalcoastnc #waterdogguideservice
Mercury Missile Delivery. 

#smoker #kingmackerel #kingfish #treblehooksandwire #gofast #contenderboatsofficial #mercurymarine 

#daiwa #templeforkoutfitters #finsbraid #offshorefishing #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #fishtoeat #costasunglasses #beaufort #beaufortnc #emeraldislenc #crystalcoast #crystalcoastnc #waterdogguideservice
Pete deserves a lot of credit for crushing this big gag - expertly anticipating the bite from a nervous bite and ripping him out of the rocks. One of my boats best gags of the year (so far). Upper 30”s and mid 20lbs. He even had a big scamp on the previous drop! I was particularly jealous of the pics I got of it topped with a fresh fruit salsa…

#grouper #offshorefishing #beaufort #beaufortnc #emeraldislenc #emeraldislenc #moreheadcitync #atlanticbeachnc #contenderboats #mercurymarine #mercury #daiwa #zmanfishing #templeforkoutfitters #finsbraid #costasunglasses #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #waterdogguideservice
A bit a unicorn for us here in central NC - a keeper red grouper! Let us hope it’s a sign of good things to come  as red grouper used to be a very reliable catch for us here.

#mercurymarine #daiwa #templeforkoutfitters #finsbraid #grouper #redsnapper #offshorefishing #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #fishtoeat #costasunglasses #beaufort #beaufortnc #emeraldislenc #crystalcoast #crystalcoastnc #waterdogguideservice
Baybeeeee #redfish. This little guy ate a jig nearly his own size this morning- it was intended for a trout. A lot of people ask me about the size and age of drum in the marsh. For the most part we are targeting juveniles - a fish like this is an “age zero” which was spawned probably sept last year. Typically under -slot fish are just that - under a year. This time of year a 2yr old fish will be low to mid/slot, and a 3 year old fish will be upper alot to just over. A fish that’s over? Well they can be quite old - their growth rate slows considerably once they reach maturity in the low 30”s.

#findyourwild #inshorefishing #outdoorwomen #seewhatsoutthere #rapala #daiwafishing #finsfishing #templeforkoutfitters #simrad #minnkota #contenderboats #speckledtrout #redfish #inshorefishing #beaufortnc #atlanticbeachnc #emeraldislenc #crystalcoast #crystalcoastnc #waterdogguideservice
The circle of life.

Carnivores.

This 12lb dolphin had a much smaller dolphin in its stomach. They grow quick and rarely turn down a meal….even if it’s one of their own.

#contenderboats #contenderboatsofficial #mercurymarine #daiwa #templeforkoutfitters #costa #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #fishtoeat #crystalcoastnc #beaufortnc #beaufort #offshorefishing #mahi #kingmackerel #waterdogguideservice
I never post dead fish photos….but when it’s red snapper mini-season, and it’s blowing 20 out of the SW, I feel that’s sort of the point. It was a good day. A better dinner awaits us. #redsnapper #offshorefishing #bottomfishing #grouper #daiwa #templeforkoutfitters #contenderboatsofficial #mercurymarine #beaufort #beaufortnc #moreheadcity #emeraldisle #emeraldislenc #crystalcoast #crystalcoastnc #findyourwild #seewhatsoutthere #waterdogguideservice
Scamp! Every one in a while I get to catch one..My absolute favorite grouper to eat.

#grouper #offshorefishing #beaufort #beaufortnc #emeraldislenc #emeraldislenc #moreheadcitync #atlanticbeachnc #daiwa #zmanfishing #templeforkoutfitters #finsbraid #costasunglasses #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #waterdogguideservice
Proud to be on Capital Hill with @saltwaterguidesassociation talking marine and fisheries conservation and advocate for funding for new management so we can aspire to manage for climate ready fisheries. In the end, healthy fisheries take care of their fishers.
#betterbusinessthroughconservation
My friend @captgordon was very kind to profile me in the @nccoastalfed publication @coastal_review talking about my life and career in the outdoor industry and my work in advocacy and fisheries management as I aspire for better conservation for our marine ecosystems and resources. 
🔗 Link in bio
My second day in my NC turkeys woods was the type of experience I’ll remember for all my days. It wasn’t my biggest bird, but this morning triumphs most all my other hunts. After listening in a couple  of  spots and not hearing much, I followed my gut and tried an area I heard a bird in a couple weeks prior. I snuck down a road, let out a series of yelps and immediately got responses from two birds. I hoped a ditch, found the closest tree and camped out and proceeded to get loud responses from two birds with a hen cutting at the two of them. I opted to sneak forward 20-30yds to get towards an open oak flat, positioning myself in front of some thick brush. Just as I sat down - I could see the shape of a fan in the brush 80-100yds in front of me. NOTE - when hunting flat forested ground, they’re always closer then you think. It was clear that this bird was focused on me and for the next hour I called to him with combination of mouth and slate. He became so fired up he started hammering to not just me, the crows, the trill of the pileated woodpecker but to every knock the woodpeckers would make as the pecked at the trees letting out 3 or more gobbles in such quick succession it was hard to differentiate them as one. Yet he was cautious working in a 50yd semi-circle back and forth, mostly in full strut, looking for the origin of these calls. But when he would spin away from me, I would yelp, and it was that tactic that he just could not handle. While I had multiple 30-35yd opportunities, after an hour, he decided to close the distance in full strut…drumming and spitting to 18yds where my antique LC Smith harvested another bird with short shells.

Be patient, only take close shots.

The wild turkey is an extraordinary North American species, one that deserves our respect and protections so we can pass down this uniquely American tradition to the next generation of woodsman and women.

#wildturkey #turkeyhunting #thunderchicken  #morningthunder #woodhavencustomcalls #sitkagear #hunttoeat #seewhatsoutthere #liveyourbestlife #eatwild #eatwildgame #woodsman #waterdogguideservice
Morning #2 in the woods and my NC season is over…just like that. Not my biggest bird but easily one of my most memorable. I’ll post the story later when I’ve had time to gather my thoughts. #turkeyhunting #wildturkey #wildturkeyhunting #morningthunder #thunderchicken #sitkagear #hunttoeat #seewhatsoutthere #waterdogguideservice