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Learn More About Fishing North Carolina’s Crystal Coast
Beaufort, Atlantic Beach, Emerald Isle & the Crystal Coast
The North Carolina coast offers some of our nations most diverse fishing. From shallow water inshore fishing for redfish, cobia and false albacore in the ocean and excellent bottom fishing for grouper we offer one of the most versatile guiding platforms with two custom rigged boats. With experience and top-notch equipment, we are prepared to chase whatever is biting!
Captain Tom Roller is one of the regions most experienced veteran guides with over 16 years of full time guiding experience. With more than 30 years of experience fishing the crystal coast, Capt Tom has a passion for his job and the future of the fishery.
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…already finding Albies on red bait. We’ve had some phenomenal days. I think it’s going to be a good fall.
I still have a few days left in Oct and Nov. Come spend a day on the contender at Cape Lookout!
#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
Sep 25
With the persistent North winds the albie fishing has been outstanding with #Albies blitzing the cape lookout beaches hammering schools of big silversides and bay anchovies. Along with bluefish, Spanish mackerel, jack cravalle and all our summer and fall visitors. It’s going to be a good fall.
I have a handful of open Oct and Nov dates available
#falsealbacore #onthefly #saltwaterflyfishing
#lighttackle #capelookout #harkersisland #beaufort #beaufortnc #crystalcoast #crystalcoastnc
#contenderboats #mercurymarine #templeforkoutfitters #shimanofishing #zman #templeforkoutfitters #orvis #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #getoutdoors
Sep 13
Juvenile gag grouper caught along a estuarine grass flat. Gag #grouper, like many offshore species actually spend the earliest part of their lives growing up in estuarine environments among the grass flats and oyster beds. This is to say that healthy estuarine ecosystems are critical to the health of so many species, even those we consider to be primarily offshore deep(er) water fish. This is why clean water and protections for critical habitat like our our shallow water submerged aquatic vegetation environments are so critical for healthy and diverse ecosystems, both inshore and off.
Juvenile gags are not an uncommon catch this time of year, but many of us have been seeing a lot more the last 2-3 years so we can be hopeful that rebuilding efforts are working for this important species.
#grouper #offshorefishing #beaufort #beaufortnc #emeraldislenc #emeraldislenc #moreheadcitync #atlanticbeachnc #contenderboats #mercurymarine #mercury #shimano #zmanfishing #templeforkoutfitters #finsbraid #costasunglasses #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #waterdogguideservice
Sep 10
As good as the albie fishing has been jn Sept 2024 - I am optimistic we’re going to have a great fall. I still have some Oct and November dates available.
#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
Sep 9
I’ve spent the last few years trying to avoid catching f flounder outside of the season - and we’ve done a good job by changing tactics and areas I frequent. But you can’t avoid them all - this one was over 7lbs and fell for a #zman. What a beast!
#doormat #flounder #southernflounder #inshorefishing
#findyourwild #seewhatsoutthere #rapala #shimano #finsfishing #zman #templeforkoutfitters #simrad #minnkota #pathfindeboats #mercurymarine #contenderboats #speckledtrout #redfish #inshorefishing #beaufortnc #atlanticbeachnc #emeraldislenc #crystalcoast #crystalcoastnc #waterdogguideservice
Sep 8
The albie fishing has been excellent going on a month now - hopefully this is sign of great things to come for an awesome fall season. Great to get some tags on fish for the @saltwaterguidesassociation #thealbieproject we’re also tagging #spanishmackerel #jackcrevalle #atlanticbonito in this cooperative tagging study!
#falsealbacore #albies #onthefly #saltwaterflyfishing
#lighttackle #capelookout #harkersisland #beaufort #beaufortnc #crystalcoast #crystalcoastnc
#contenderboats #mercurymarine #templeforkoutfitters #shimanofishing #zman #templeforkoutfitters #orvis #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #getoutdoors
Sep 7
This is one of my favorite videos of the summer, captured by my customer, as I was frantically running around while two very excited boys fought a doubleheader of black tip spinner #sharks. We actually landed (and released) both.
#sharks #sharkfishing #catchandrelease #blacktip #blacktipshark
#beaufort #beaufortnc #emeraldislenc #emeraldislenc #moreheadcitync #atlanticbeachnc #contenderboats #mercurymarine #mercury #zmanfishing #shimano #templeforkoutfitters #finsbraid #costasunglasses #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #waterdogguideservice
Sep 6
***Commercial Flounder Season Just announced***
OPEN DAYS: Oct 𝟻̶,0̶6̶, 7, 𝟷̶𝟸̶, 13……also 15 and 16th if the season is open
In NC, if you’re a commercial fishing license holder, it’s legal to commercially harvest flounder, during the open season, while on a charter trip. As a commercial license holder, I will offer inshore trips targeting flounder (and other inshore species) in my pathfinder. The season opens Oct 2nd and I will post my open dates below. In 2023 the season was open barely more than a week until the quota was caught. So I will book trips through Oct 12th or so - you can gamble on it being open longer and book later.
OPEN DAYS: Oct 𝟻̶ ,0̶6̶, 7, 𝟷̶𝟸̶, 13……also 15 and 16th if the season is open. I’m recommending 3/4 days.
Sep 5
Pretty good backwater redfish the past few weeks…as well as some excellent topwater trout fishing and the late summer random visitors like 3-6lb jack crevalle, etc
#findyourwild #inshorefishing #seewhatsoutthere #rapala #shimano #finsfishing #templeforkoutfitters #simrad #minnkota #contenderboats #speckledtrout #redfish #inshorefishing #beaufortnc #atlanticbeachnc #emeraldislenc #crystalcoast #crystalcoastnc #waterdogguideservice
Sep 5
Jessie repeating the same pose from the same week last year! Also caught some dolphin, had a billfish bite and did some deep dropping for a mixed bag. #wahoo #mahi #offshorefishing #bluewater
#beaufort #beaufortnc #emeraldislenc #emeraldislenc #moreheadcitync #atlanticbeachnc #contenderboats #mercurymarine #mercury #zmanfishing #shimano #templeforkoutfitters #finsbraid #costasunglasses #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #waterdogguideservice
Sep 4
It’s been forever since i posted….buts it’s been a busy and exciting summer of inshore and offshore fishing. I have a ton of pics, videos and stories.
Lately - we finally had a good string of weather and we took advantage of it to get in on our famous late summer #wahoo bite. Also a few dolphin, blackfin tuna and a really good billfish bite. I’ve hooked up at least one every trip- including two sails this past Saturday.
Also been doing some deepwater bottomfish with the electrics which is a blast.
Bluewater trolling in a big CC like my contender 28T is a ton of fun and a totally different experience - come give it a try!
#offshorefishing #bluewater
#beaufort #beaufortnc #emeraldislenc #emeraldislenc #moreheadcitync #atlanticbeachnc #contenderboats #mercurymarine #mercury #zmanfishing #shimano #templeforkoutfitters #finsbraid #costasunglasses #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #waterdogguideservice
Sep 3
Nice to be back on the #roanokeriver for a couple weeks. Low water and good fishing so far - pretty good fly bite early and late. Some big fish around too.
Looking forward to some beautiful weather and another couple of weeks enjoying the serenity (and good fishing) up here.
#stripedbass #stripedbassfishing #roanoke #onthefly #flyfishing #orvis #daiwa #templeforkoutfitters #finsbraid #zman #rapala #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild #catchandrelease #waterdogguideservice
May 3
Will I ever post about the saltwater? Well, I’m headed to the Roanoke River, for my annual pilgrimage this week. Then back to the big pond.
In the meantime I got to spend some time with some Indiana smallmouth on a beautiful southern Indiana stream. One of the finest freshwater gamefish that exists.
Variety is the spice of life.
#smallmouth #smallmouthbass #indiana #hoosierstate #daiwa #templeforkoutfitters #finsbraid #zman #rapala #seewhatsoutthere #findyourwild
May 1
This is one of the best trail camera photos I’ve ever captured. A face-off between an Indiana bobcat and a coyote. I would’ve loved to hear it - I wonder…what were they arguing over? A recent kill? Territorial dispute? Or do dogs and cats not get along?
Just look at that big kitty’s arched back! #meow
#indiana #bobcat #coyote #trailcam #trailcamera #seewhatsoutthere #sitkagear #spypoint
Apr 26
My Indiana excursion was a true sojourn. Opening day, two hours in and I pulled this guy from his 3 lady friends. The LC Smith did it again at 29 yards with the full choke left barrel. Not even a flop.
26lbs on the scale - by far the biggest bird I’ve taken. With a mild winter, they grow big here in the Midwest.
Another bird taken with my 100yr old gun and 2.5” bismuth #5 non-tox. Yall keep your fancy gadgets.
#turkey #turkeyhunting #wildturkey #doublegun #sidebyside #lcsmith #vintage #morningthunder #thunderchicken #dinosaur #findyourwild #sitkagear #hunttoeat #seewhatsoutthere
Apr 25
It’s been a tough year for me to find time to get out into the woods, but after a couple near misses, I was finally about to harvest my first NC bird of 2024. I found the right birds, in the right moment, and after 15 minutes of back and forth 4 came runnjng to me at full speed dropping into strut inside of 20yds. I took the lead bird at 15yds - a 22lb hog, 11” 1 1/8
Y’all keep your fancy gadgets, extra extra full chokes, 3.5” shells and TSS, etc. The old LC smith did it again with 2.5” bismuth #5s.
#vintage #lcsmith #doublegun #turkeyhunting #gobbler #morningthunder #sitkagear #hunttoeat #findyourwild
Apr 19
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
Nov 5
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
Nov 2
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
Oct 30
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
Oct 25
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
Oct 6
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
Aug 25
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
Aug 24
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
Aug 21
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
Aug 20
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
Aug 17
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
Aug 16
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
Aug 15
