South Carolina fishing regulations, 2026

Size limits, seasons and daily limits for every species South Carolina Department of Natural Resources regulates, rewritten in plain English and rechecked against the official pages automatically. Last captured 2026-10-01.

Most searched

Striped Bass Black Sea Bass Bluefish Weakfish Largemouth Bass Blue Crab Red Drum All 106 species A–Z →

Saltwater →

Albacore & Skipjack TunaNo size limit American ShadNone Atlantic CroakerNo size limit Atlantic Sharpnose SharkNo size limit printed Atlantic Spadefish14 inch minimum Bigeye Tuna27 inch minimum Black Drum14–27 inch slot Black Grouper24 inch minimum Black Sea Bass13 inch minimum Blackfin SnapperNo minimum size Blue Marlin99 inch minimum Bluefin TunaSet by NOAA HMS — check before fishing BluefishNo size limit Blueline TilefishNo minimum size Bonnethead SharkNo size limit printed Cobia36 inch minimum ConeyNo minimum size Cubera Snapper12 inch minimum Dogfish (spiny & smooth)No size limit Dolphin20 inch minimum Florida PompanoNo size limit Flounder16 inch minimum Gag Grouper24 inch minimum Golden TilefishNo minimum size Goliath GrouperNo size limit Gray Snapper12 inch minimum Gray Triggerfish12 inch minimum GraysbyNo minimum size Greater Amberjack28 inch minimum Hammerhead Sharks78 inch minimum HerringNo size limit Hogfish17 inch minimum Hybrid Striped Bass (saltwater)No size limit King Mackerel24 inch minimum Lane Snapper8 inch minimum Longbill SpearfishNo size limit Misty GrouperNo minimum size Mutton Snapper18 inch minimum Nassau GrouperNo size limit Other Snapper-Grouper Complex SpeciesNo size limit Other Tunas (Blackfin, Bonita, Little Tunny)No size limit Prohibited SharksNo size limit Queen SnapperNo minimum size Red Drum18–25 inch slot Red Grouper20 inch minimum Red HindNo minimum size Red Porgy14 inch minimum Red Snapper20 inch minimum Rock HindNo minimum size Roundscale Spearfish66 inch minimum Sailfish63 inch minimum Saltwater CatfishPossession prohibited Sand TilefishNo minimum size ScampNo minimum size Sharks (1-per-vessel group)54 inch minimum Sheepshead14 inch minimum Silk SnapperNo minimum size Snowy GrouperNo minimum size Spanish Mackerel12 inch minimum Speckled HindNo size limit SpotNo size limit Spotted Seatrout14 inch minimum Striped Bass26 inch minimum Sturgeon (Atlantic & Shortnose)No size limit Swordfish47 inch minimum Tarpon77 inch minimum Tripletail18 inch minimum Vermilion Snapper12 inch minimum WahooNo size limit Warsaw GrouperNo size limit Weakfish12 inch minimum White GruntNo minimum size White Marlin66 inch minimum WhitingNo size limit WreckfishNo minimum size Yellowedge GrouperNo minimum size Yellowfin GrouperNo minimum size Yellowfin Tuna27 inch minimum Yellowmouth GrouperNo minimum size Yellowtail Snapper12 inch minimum

Freshwater →

American Eel (freshwater)9 inch minimum Blue CatfishNo size limit BreamNo size limit Chain PickerelNo size limit Crappie8 inch minimum Grass CarpNo size limit Hybrid Striped Bass (freshwater)Any length Largemouth BassAny length (14 inches min on Lakes Blalock, Greenwood, Jocassee, Marion, Monticello, Moultrie, Murray, Secession, Wateree, Wylie, middle Saluda, upper Santee)Redbreast SunfishNo size limit Redeye BassAny length Redfin PickerelAny length Robust RedhorseNo size limit Smallmouth Bass12 inch minimum Spotted BassNone TroutNone WalleyeNone White BassNone Yellow PerchNo size limit

Shellfish & crabs →

Blue Crab5 inch minimum Freshwater Mussels (native)No size limit Hard Clam1 inch minimum Horseshoe CrabNo size limit OysterNone stated ShrimpNone Spiny Lobster3 inch minimum Stone Crab2.75 inch minimum

Is it a keeper?

Say what you caught, snap a photo, or type it. SlotGauge checks today's rules and answers KEEP or RELEASE.

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