High Tides and Tall Tails Archives - Page 5 of 12

May 1, 2026

Few king mackerel tournaments attract 100 boats these days, cutting back those once-huge payouts.

Too many tournaments?

Could there be too many fishing tournaments along North Carolina’s coast? […]

Fishing lures and rod-and-reel combos are always popular Christmas gifts for sportsmen.

Wise sportsman’s gifts

Wow, it has been a year already, and it’s time for more gift ideas for those outdoor folks in your lives. Hopefully, you’ll find a few suggestions that will be helpful again. […]

A shooter steps to the ready area for a metallic silhouette session on the 180 degree simulator while his Gander Mountain Academy instructor watches.

Hone your shooting skills

Jerry Dilsaver

Everybody wants to be able to make long or difficult shots, but how does that happen? […]

Rocks and ledges in 80 to 120 feet of water are prime spots to catch fall kings off North Carolina.

Time to ‘hang a net’

Jerry Dilsaver

Most fishermen will agree the best time to catch smoker king mackerel along the North Carolina coast is the late fall, and most agree that the best way to catch them is to use live baits. […]

Well-tuned propellers will greatly enhance a boat’s performance.

Run the ‘prop-er’ tool

Jerry Dilsaver

Propellers are the final link in transferring all the horsepower from a motor to the water so the boat moves forward. […]

Live shrimp are a fantastic bait that need a different kind of attention than minnow-type baits when housed in a baitwell.

Shrimp take special care

Jerry Dilsaver

Last month’s column centered on baitwells and how to set them up to keep baitfish alive. […]

Baitwells are either total-exchange (left and right), or recirculating (three middle).

‘Live’ is best part of bait

Jerry Dilsaver

Many fishermen have a fascination with using live minnows or smaller fish for bait. […]

A surgeon’s knot pulled almost tight. The line wraps into a figure- 8 shape that strengthens and cushions the knot.

The knot is the link in all fishing tackle that is subjected to the most stress during a fight. Even worse, knots are subjected to the stress, strain, abrasion and all other abuse for fish after fish after fish. […]

Pier ‘rail birds’ come alive when a king strikes a live bluefish.

Feel ‘blue’ about kings

Jerry Dilsaver

After a winter as mild as we just experienced, fishermen across North Carolina are waiting with eager anticipation for the word that king mackerel have returned inshore. […]

Christian Bedsworth of Star Rods (left) shows Matthew Waddell of Goldsboro’s EZ Bait & Tackle one of the new Aerial spinning combos from Star Rods at the recent Henry’s Tackle Show in Raleigh.

Filling fisherman’s needs

Jerry Dilsaver

Fishermen in North Carolina are lucky! Fishermen in most parts of the country have only one tackle show to look forward to each year, but around here, it’s not unusual to be able to visit several shows during the winter. […]