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