Fish guide
Pigfish
Orthopristis chrysoptera. Also called Hogfish, Grunt.
Showing the fish for Southern North Carolina coast.
Season in Southern NC
FishOS's Myrtle Beach chart for this species (same Carolina beach type, about 60 to 150 miles south) carried north with slightly cooler water: NCEI averages at Wrightsville Beach are 52 to 58 F December to February and 78 to 83 F June to September. (Our inference)
Season by region
| Myrtle Beach | JFMAMJJASOND |
|---|---|
| Southern NC | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Charleston | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Georgia | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Northeast Florida | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Space Coast | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Southeast Florida | JFMAMJJASOND |
Where to find them
Pier pilings, jetties and rough bottom.
On the bottom in schools, near structure.
What to look for
Small grunts that grunt when handled.
Bait
Shrimp, Squid, Bloodworms. Standard two-hook bottom rig, small hooks.
Leader
Light bottom rig.
Common mistakes
- Hooks too large
Landing
Swing it up.
Handling
- Dorsal spines
Smooth the dorsal fin down before gripping.
Keep or release
A favorite live bait. Check NC rules.
Typical: Under 9 in. Large: Up to about 15 in.
Limits
FishOS has not checked the NC limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the NC Division of Marine Fisheries before you keep a fish.
Sources
- NC Division of Marine Fisheries: pigfish (Official source)
- UF/IFAS FA160: pigfish (temperature and salinity) (Official source)
- FishBase species summary: Orthopristis chrysoptera (pigfish) (Official source)
Is pigfish worth it today?
The planner rates it for your exact time with the live tide, weather and water temperature.
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