Fishing in South Carolina public spots, conditions & reports
12 of 15worth the trip today
Mostly bluefish and striped bass today. Each spot is scored for whatever is in season and biting best there.
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Every South Carolina spot
15 public spots, best first. Each is scored for whatever is in season and biting best there.
67° water · 12 mph wind · incoming tide
67° water · 13 mph wind · incoming tide
67° water · 13 mph wind · incoming tide
67° water · 13 mph wind · incoming tide
67° water · 15 mph wind · incoming tide
68° water · 16 mph wind · incoming tide
The state report
The current report names blue catfish, crappie, striped bass and white perch.
Licenses and rules
Rules for what people fish for here
- Red drum18" minimum · 25" maximum · 1 a day18–25" slot, 1/person/day, 2 per boat (state waters), since Jul 1, 2026. No possession in federal waters; no gigging Dec 1–Feb 28.Open · South Carolina · verified Oct 21, 2026 · source
- Spotted seatrout14" minimum · 10 a day14" minimum, 10/person/day.Open · South Carolina · verified Oct 21, 2026 · source
- Sheepshead14" minimum · 10 a day14" minimum, 10/person/day (max 30 per boat).Open · South Carolina · verified Oct 21, 2026 · source
- Crappie8" minimum · 20 a daySouth Carolina statewide: 8" minimum, 20 crappie a day, within the 40-fish daily game fish total.Open · South Carolina · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Bluefish5 a dayNo minimum size. 5/person/day (7 on for-hire).Open · South Carolina · verified Oct 21, 2026 · source
- Channel catfishno daily limitSouth Carolina sets no daily or length limit for channel catfish; the state nongame limits cover only blue catfish and American eel.Open · South Carolina · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Largemouth bass5 a daySouth Carolina statewide: no length limit, 5 black bass a day combined. Lakes Marion, Moultrie, Murray, Wylie and several others have a 14" minimum; Hartwell, Thurmond and the Savannah River chain allow 10 black bass a day with a 12" minimum.Open · South Carolina · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Summer flounder16" minimum · 5 a dayFlounder (southern, summer and gulf): 16" minimum, 5/person/day, 10 per boat.Open · South Carolina · verified Oct 21, 2026 · source
- Southern flounder16" minimum · 5 a dayFlounder (southern, summer and gulf): 16" minimum, 5/person/day, 10 per boat.Open · South Carolina · verified Oct 21, 2026 · source
- Striped bass10 a daySouth Carolina statewide: striped and hybrid bass 10 a day combined, no length limit. The Santee system (Marion, Moultrie) is a 3-fish 23–25" slot and closed Jun 16–Sep 30; Lake Murray has a 21" minimum Oct 1–May 31; Hartwell and Thurmond allow only 3 over 26"; coastal rivers are 26" and 3 a day, closed in summer.Open · South Carolina · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Common carpno daily limitSouth Carolina's nongame size and possession table does not include common carp, so no limit applies. Grass carp are protected; SCDNR: "It is unlawful to take, harm or kill grass carp in public waters."Open · South Carolina · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source
- Blue catfish150 a daySouth Carolina statewide: 150 blue catfish a day (Act 120, effective May 15, 2026). Lakes Marion and Moultrie, the upper Santee and the Pee Dee from the North Carolina line to the US 301 bridge stay at 25 a day, and no more than 2 over 32" may be kept there or on the Congaree and Wateree.Open · South Carolina · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Black drum14" minimum · 27" maximum · 5 a daySouth Carolina saltwater: 14–27" slot, 5/person/day, year-round.Open · South Carolina · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Spanish mackerel12" minimum · 15 a daySouth Carolina saltwater: 12" fork-length minimum, 15/person/day, year-round.Open · South Carolina · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
Limits differ by water. Each spot page shows the limits for its own water.
What’s biting in South Carolina
Species people fish for at South Carolina spots, and how many of those spots are worth the trip for them today.
CrappiePomoxis spp.7 of 7 spots worth the trip in South Carolina
Best now at Lake Marion, SC98
Bites in 50–80° water
Striped bassMorone saxatilis6 of 6 spots worth the trip in South Carolina
Best now at Lake Marion, SC86
Bites in 50–72° water
BluefishPomatomus saltatrix5 of 7 spots worth the trip in South Carolina
Best now at North Myrtle Beach, SC81
Bites in 60–80° water
Blue catfishIctalurus furcatus4 of 4 spots worth the trip in South Carolina
Best now at Lake Marion, SC86
Bites in 55–85° water
Channel catfishIctalurus punctatus1 of 7 spots worth the trip in South Carolina
Best now at Lake Marion, SC74
Bites in 60–85° water
Largemouth bassMicropterus salmoides1 of 7 spots worth the trip in South Carolina
Best now at Lake Marion, SC74
Bites in 55–85° water
Common carpCyprinus carpio1 of 6 spots worth the trip in South Carolina
Best now at Lake Marion, SC74
Bites in 52–86° water
Red drumSciaenops ocellatus0 of 8 spots worth the trip in South Carolina
Best now at North Myrtle Beach, SC69
Bites in 65–85° water
About fishing in South Carolina
South Carolina's 15 public access points span the Atlantic coast and reservoirs, across 11 counties. Across them, the species anglers most often target are Red Drum, Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, and Southern Flounder. Each is scored live on water temperature, tide or river flow, moon phase, barometric pressure, and weather. Always confirm current size, creel, and season limits with the South Carolina state fishery agency before keeping fish — we flag any species whose regulations we haven't yet verified.
15 public access points across 0 water bodies. Data from NOAA, NWS, USGS, and South Carolina DNR.
Coastal regions
- Grand StrandSouth Carolina's Myrtle Beach coast and the Waccamaw Neck.