Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeSalt water depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
770-acre Bogue Inlet fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo, H04767 and June 2026 USACE eHydro survey contours (70.74% measured, 96.95% assessed), exact NOAA ESI fish and forage occurrence, measured inlet-channel spots, two OPEN public ramps and current North Carolina rules. The water tops out around 34 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to NAVD88; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The channels, holes and drop-offs come from the source data, not a distance-from-shore model. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Drawn out, this is 770 acres of water rimmed by 4.6 miles of bank. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.2) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. 95% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 1.7 mi long by 1.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Bogue Sound, 12 mi east of here.
Spring puts red drum (redfish) in skinny water — 1 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 2 to 12 ft, wintering in 3 to 15 ft. Spring red drum (redfish) concentrate at NOAA BlueTopo measured shallow inlet flat, a prime-rated feeding flat around 6 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured shallow inlet flat (6 ft) | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured shallow inlet flat (6 ft) | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA BlueTopo measured shallow inlet flat (6 ft) | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA BlueTopo measured shallow inlet flat (6 ft) | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
When the water first warms, spotted seatrout slide up into 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 4 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it June 2026 measured channel pocket: a deep basin around 18 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured shallow inlet flat (6 ft) | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn | Strongest June 2026 measured local transition (8 ft) | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | NOAA BlueTopo measured shallow inlet flat (6 ft) | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dusk | June 2026 measured channel pocket (18 ft) | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
Start shallow in spring: southern flounder sit in 2 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 3 to 18 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 34 ft. The spot to know is Strongest June 2026 measured local transition, a drop-off in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for southern flounder in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a jighead + gulp swimming mullet or a bucktail tipped with shrimp until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn | Strongest June 2026 measured local transition (8 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (white/chartreuse), Bucktail + Gulp shrimp |
| Summer | 3 to 18 ft | dawn | Strongest June 2026 measured local transition (8 ft) | Jighead + Gulp swimming mullet, Bucktail tipped with shrimp |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | midday | June 2026 measured western channel shoulder (23 ft) | 3/8 oz bucktail + Gulp (passes), Big paddletail on the jetty edge |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | midday | June 2026 measured channel pocket (18 ft) | Slow jig + scented grub in the holes |
Start shallow in spring: bluefish sit in 3 to 20 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 34 ft. Top water on the chart: Strongest June 2026 measured local transition, a drop-off in the 8 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured shallow inlet flat (6 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Strongest June 2026 measured local transition (8 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Strongest June 2026 measured local transition (8 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | midday | June 2026 measured channel pocket (18 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
When the water first warms, black sea bass slide up into 9 to 34 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 9 to 34 ft, winter 10 to 34 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Strongest June 2026 measured local transition: a drop-off around 8 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in midday and early morning. Keep a bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 9 to 34 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Strongest June 2026 measured local transition (8 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 9 to 34 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | Strongest June 2026 measured local transition (8 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 9 to 34 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | midday | Strongest June 2026 measured local transition (8 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 100 ft | midday | June 2026 measured channel pocket (18 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
In spring, sheepshead run shallow here, mostly 5 to 25 ft. Summer keeps them at 3 to 15 ft, and they winter in 10 to 30 ft. Strongest June 2026 measured local transition is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 8 ft, rated good for spring sheepshead. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a small jig + crab piece most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Strongest June 2026 measured local transition (8 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + fiddler, Sheepshead jig + shrimp piece |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn | Strongest June 2026 measured local transition (8 ft) | Small jig + crab piece |
| Fall | 5 to 20 ft | midday | Strongest June 2026 measured local transition (8 ft) | Jighead + shrimp, Small crab jig |
| Winter | 10 to 30 ft | midday | June 2026 measured channel pocket (18 ft) | Heavier jig + crab (deep pilings) |
Bogue Inlet also holds cobia (4 to 34 ft in summer), spanish mackerel (4 to 34 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Bogue Inlet carries 10 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest June 2026 measured inlet-channel cell, about 34 ft down.
Access data: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission — Boating Access Areas (OBJECTID 84). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for North Carolina waters are set by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries — and special regulations can apply to Bogue Inlet specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Carolina fishing regulations →
Bogue Inlet is about 34 ft (10 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to NAVD88; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target red drum (redfish), spotted seatrout, southern flounder, bluefish, black sea bass, sheepshead, cobia, spanish mackerel on Bogue Inlet.
NOAA BlueTopo measured shallow inlet flat is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for red drum (redfish) in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For red drum (redfish), the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Bogue Inlet is regulated by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. Check the official North Carolina regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Bogue Sound 12 mi · Salliers Bay 13 mi · Alligator Bay 19 mi · Money Island Bay 22 mi · Stump Sound 25 mi · Back Sound 31 mi · Lookout Bight 32 mi · Topsail Sound 34 mi · Jarrett Bay 37 mi · Masonboro Inlet 51 mi · Northeast Cape Fear River 55 mi, NC/SC · Cape Fear River - Reach 2 of 2 65 mi, NC/SC
See how Bogue Inlet stacks up: best red drum (redfish) lakes in North Carolina · best spotted seatrout lakes in North Carolina · best southern flounder lakes in North Carolina · best bluefish lakes in North Carolina
Browse all North Carolina fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 71% measured, 26% source-interpolated). How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.