Sidebars Archives - Page 155 of 194

June 18, 2026

An ocean analysis will point offshore captains to areas with promising water temperature, or to current rips and color changes that often hold bluewater fish.

Use satellite imaging to find fish

With weather fronts moving rapidly along the coast during the late winter and spring, sea conditions just do not allow heading offshore every day. […]

Knowing how quickly the tide rises and falls will help fishermen decide when to arrive to fish a certain area or piece of structure like this crumbling bulkhead, complete with oyster rocks and barnacles.

Working with Beaufort area tides

Jerry Dilsaver

The tidal change in the Beaufort area is one of the more extreme along the entire southeastern coastline. The average high tide exceeds seven feet, and the highest projected for March is 8.5 feet. […]

Greensboro turkey ‘pro’ Marshall Collete advises hunters to call less and move less when you strike up a conversation with a gobbler.

Less is more when talkin’ turkey

Craig Holt

Turkey hunter Marshall Collette said his approach to luring gobblers within gun or bow range has changed during the years. […]

Call-maker John Tanner developed the Purring BLock to make very realistic purrs and other soft calls — the kind that often get responses from henned-up gobblers in the afternoon.

Sweet talking for henned gobblers after lunch

Terry Madewell

Call-maker and veteran hunter John Tanner of Hemingway said one of the best attributes a good hunter can have when working henned gobblers is know when enough is enough. […]

Keeping a pond’s pH, akalinity, hardness and nitrate/nitrite levels in a productive range will help fish populations reach their full potential.

Interpret pond-water chemistry analysis

Jeff Burleson

Good fishing ponds are the result of a wide variety of factors, ranging from the grass, water depth and bottom composition to the fish that call these waters home. […]

Sweet potatoes are just one kind of supplemental food that can help deer and other wildlife species make it through the winter when natural foods become scarce.

Provide supplemental feed to sustain body mass

Jeff Burleson

Deer and other wildlife are tested in late winter because few natural foods are readily available. […]

Squeaky Smith caught this trophy rainbow in Wilson Creek, but fishermen are more likely to run into good numbers of smaller fish.

Big fish — or lots of them?

Tim Mead

For most fishermen, Wilson Creek is a numbers stream, with plenty of fish available. If you’re targeting bigger trout, you just need to change tactics slightly, according to angler Squeaky Smith. […]

Wilson Creek has several miles of stream in North Carolina’s delayed-harvest program, as well as wild-trout and hatchery waters.

Spinning gear for Wilson Creek trout

Tim Mead

In addition to fly fishing for Wilson Creek trout, spinning gear is also a good option. […]

Fish slow and get into some fast action.

Explore marinas in cold weather

Jeff Burleson

Dating back to the late 18th century, the Carolinas have been categorized as southern states, but North Carolina receives its fair share of brutal winter weather, with bone-chilling water temperature possible throughout February. […]

Getting one redfish in a winter school to bite will often put other fish into a feeding mood.

Turn me on!

Jeff Burleson

During winter, redfish congregate in large schools in deep holes well hidden in the backcountry of the Cape Fear River’s estuaries. […]