Tailing Tide Guide Service Fishing Report Blog

Everything but the Hero Shot, Fall 2024.

12/9/2024

A photograph can be a snapshot, or it can be used to tell an elaborate story. In my 13-year career as a fishing guide, I've made an effort to go beyond the "hero shot" and tell the story of my angler's experiences on the water, using a camera. Everyone wants the hero shot, the bragging shot, but there is so much more to it than just a guy holding a fish. I love Albie season on the Crystal Coast. There is so much going on, so many things to see and experience. I keep my camera handy and try to document as much as I can, while still doing the best job possible as a guide. It takes a lot of effort, and keeps you on your toes, but you can absolutely do both. During the months of October and November this year, I edited and emailed out 884 images to clients. I spent a lot of late nights on Lightroom and Photoshop perfecting photos before going to bed. How many pictures did I actually take during that time period? Probably 10X that amount.

I'm excited to share a select 90 images that tell the story of the last 2 months guiding around Cape Lookout and the Crystal Coast. Wildlife, Blitzes, Sunrises, Smiles, everything but the hero shot.

South swell rolls into Beaufort. I've watched much of the west end of Shackleford Banks wash into Beaufort inlet in the 20 years I've lived here. All of that sand has deposited itself into the eastern half of Beaufort Inlet building sandbars that are constantly shifting. A good south swell will cause waves to break from the inlet all the way back to Carrot Island on some days. Add a falling tide and it can get really interesting.

A mullet boat, most likely from Harkers, plies the waters of the Hook on the search for Roe Mullet to strike their net on.

On this particular morning, I was in a rush to get to the shoals, as I was hoping that a good bite would be waiting for us there. Along the way, I noticed the sky turning into pure gold as the rising sun radiated its light from behind the clouds. As we came down the point of Cape Lookout, a few fishing trucks became the perfect photographic subject. I snapped a few pics from a distance, and then I crept a little closer to get a tighter shot. Eventually I had to apologize to my anglers, as I made a bee line for the beach for one final tight shot of the trucks in the golden light. By the time we had gotten a mile down the beach to the shoals, the light had completely faded away.

Most of time sharks are pretty boring. Seriously. The two times they act like they are supposed to, is when they are behind shrimp trawlers, or on bait balls. In this image, a shark is busting through a school of Bay Anchovies. You wouldn't think that a 6ft shark would get so excited about 3" baitfish, but they absolutely do.

On the hunt. A net boat cuts through the chop along the oceanside of Shackleford, in search large schools of Roe Mullet.

Spotted Dolphins live offshore from their more common Bottlenose Dolphin cousins. I don't encounter them often, but when I do, it's a Best Day Ever kind of day. Bottlenose Dolphins could care less if you existed or not. Spotted Dolphins are always happy to see you, racing over to your boat to say hello, and generally having the time of their lives.

Rainbow over sailboats, Shackleford Banks.

Parting of the Red Sea. A shark pushes its way through a bait ball of Anchovies. Bay Anchovies can turn the water dark red in color when they push tightly together, earning the nickname "redbait" or "bloodbait".

No two sunrises are the same, but they are all amazing when Cape Lookout is your backdrop.

Silverside Armageddon.

The Addie Gage trawls for shrimp off Shackleford Banks.

I love Red Drum tails. The spots are always different, just like fingerprints.

I love shooting backlit subjects, especially those that allow the light to shine through. Like the feathers of a duck, or the fur of a bear, or in this case the dorsal fin of an Albacore.

Massive clouds set a backdrop for the Cape Lookout Lighthouse at sunrise.

A closer look.

Capt Will Jones puts his clients within range of some False Albacore while gulls circle looking for a meal.

The view from my cubicle.
I love adding out of focus foreground objects to an image to add some depth.

Precarious position. An angler hangs off the back of his skiff while unwrapping a fly line from the prop. I love capturing images like this. We've all been there. It's part of the game.

Hitch Hiker. A parasitic Isopod clings to the gill plate of an Atlantic Silverside.

Art in motion. I think False Albacore are one of the most beautifully designed fish I've ever caught. They are both form and function.

The graveyard. Chewed up, deformed, rusty, or just plain retired. The final resting place for these flies, unless a school of Bluefish show up.

Anticipation.

Frantic. Death by teeth awaits below. What comes from above isn't that much better.

Explosive power.

Beauty.

A gull swoops in hoping to capitalize on the work of a school of Albies below.

On the hunt for sharks.

Silversides live a tough existence.

A smile is a symptom of a good time!

Humpback Whale breaching at Cape Lookout. Image taken at distance with telephoto lens. For the safety of these magnificent creatures, we follow the guidelines set forth by NOAA, never approaching, keeping our distance, and safely moving away from areas they inhabit.

Dancing Silversides.

Match the Hatch.

Got one!

Follow the leader, shark style.

Gull rescue and release.

Send it.

Captains Jake Jordan and Braden Miller approach a school of Albacore and sharks feeding on Anchovies.

Happy sharks.

Chrysaora quinquecirrha with a hitch hiker.

"Mooon-poie"
Said in my best down east accent.

Nowhere to hide.

Heavenly Light. I love seeing (and photographing) rays of sunlight breaking through the clouds.

Jim rocking the Sound Side flat brim, patiently waiting for his guide to find him some Albies.

Jamie Howard and Matti Majorin putting one back.

These are 5 to 15lb Bluefish surfing the waves on the shoals of Cape Lookout. They were in every wave, in every direction. It was amazing to watch and try to photograph them while weaving in and out of the waves.

This shot was taken with a telephoto lens. Believe it or not, these waves were 6-8ft and those Bluefish were 24-30" long. I wish the image communicated the mood better than it does.
Let's just say, it was a bit sketchy.

Capt Perry McDougald running his Pair Custom through the "slot" at the shoals. On this day, the shoals were angry. I was more than happy to sit back and watch him work his magic.

Last year I tagged 85 False Albacore for scientific research. This year, with the help of my clients, we tagged 163 Albies. I'm pretty proud of that. At least one has already been recaptured. I would absolutely love to catch one of the ones we tagged this year, next season, after it makes its migratory run and returns to the Cape.

Protein.

Banker Ponies.

Getting down to business.

Gluttons.

"I-I-I-I just wanna fly. Put your arms around me Albie, put your arms around me Albie."

400 years of history. I try to never take these things for granted.

Tied up.

Chewed up.

Blue'd up.

I still haven't gotten an image of an Albie jumping that I think is frame worthy. They just might be the hardest critter I've ever tried to photograph.

The Sand People.

If it floats, chase Albies with it. By the way, this guy, whoever he is, had a killer loop.

Waiting for the guests of honor.

Sunrises, always different, always worth getting up for.

Holding down the fort. Your buddy has a fly line tangled in his prop, but there are fish busting off the bow. What do you do?

Powerful.

I love shooting into the light. Causing lens flare, sunbursts, silhouetting subjects, blowing out highlights, all the stuff they tell you not to do in photography 101. Sometimes I do it too much and have remind myself to reel it back and get some properly lit shots too.

Rude Birds.

I told you I liked back lit Albie fins.

Earning a living.

Definitely worth getting up early for.

These two images were taken only a few minutes apart, at the same location. Light and action change quickly and constantly out there. Golden hour should be called golden minutes instead.

Victim.

These fish are so incredible.

Happy Angler = Happy Guide

Sometimes I wonder if people who are not photography obsessed, appreciate good light as much as I do? Maybe they do. I know it's always on my mind. I'm always looking at how light shapes a scene and creates emotion. Even when I don't have a camera, I'm still watching the light.