Dr. Bogus’ Tips
East/West: To get your seasonal orientation right, try to remember this Bogue Pier fishing ditty ….. “In the spring and summer east is least and west is best, but in the fall and winter west is least and east is the beast”.
Pier Zones from the beach on out.
1) Suds
2) Slough
3) Sandbar (100 yards)
4) The Deep
5) The Deeper (King Mackerel zone)
Albacore
Spring & Fall
King Mackerel zone
GotCha plugs, Stingsilvers
Barracuda
July to September
King Mackerel zone
Live fish; bluefish, menhaden
Black Drum
Spring to Winter
Suds & pilings zone
2-hook bottom rig, shrimp, sand fleas, crabs
Blowfish
Spring & Fall
Entire pier
2-hook bottom rig; shrimp
Bluefish
Spring to Fall
Surf to King Mackerel zone
GotCha plug, live bait, cut bait on fireball rig
Cobia
May to July
King Mackerel zone
Live fish; blue, menhaden, spot, croaker
Croaker
Spring to Fall
Suds to King Mackerel zone
2-hook bottom rig; shrimp, squid, bloodworms
Flounder
Summer to Fall
Suds & pilings zone
Carolina Rig, live mullet or strips, mud minnow, live shrimp
Gray Trout
Spring to Fall
King Mackerel zone
Shrimp on speck rig; metal jig (Stingsilver)
Jack Crevalle
Summer
King Mackerel zone
Live bait (blue, menhaden, shad)
King Mackerel
May to October
King Mackerel zone
Trolley rig; live bluefish , spot menhaden, cigar minnow
Pompano
April to September
Suds to sand bar (100-yards out) zone
2-hook bottom rig; fresh shrimp, sand fleas, gold hooks
Puppy Drum
Spring to Fall
Suds & slough zone
Cut fish, mullet, menhaden, shrimp on Carolina Rig
Sea Mullet
Spring to Fall
Slough to King Mackerel zone
2-hook bottom rig; shrimp, sand fleas. Try nighttime!
Sheepshead
April to November
Pilings
Shrimp, sand fleas, crabs, Carolina Rig
Spanish Mackerel
May to October
King Mackerel zone
Live mullet, shad, on a cork, GotCha plug, gold hook rigs
Speckled Trout
Spring & Fall
Suds to slough zone
Green grubs, MirrOLures, plastic shrimp, live shrimp, mud minnows
Spot
May to November
Slough & beyond
Shrimp, bloodworms, Fishbites Bag o’ Worms
Tarpon
July to September
King Mackerel zone
Live bluefish, menhaden, pinfish