SlotGaugeCheck a catchBlue Catfish regulations in South Carolina
Catfish · Freshwater · 2026 season
Blue Catfish size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| SC freshwater statewide (except waters below) | Open year-round | No size limit | 150 per person per day |
| Lakes Marion & Moultrie, upper Santee River, Pee Dee River (NC line to Hwy 301 bridge) | Open year-round | No minimum; max 2 fish over 32 inches per day | 25 per person per day; no more than 2 over 32 inches |
| Congaree & Wateree rivers | Open year-round | No minimum; max 2 fish over 32 inches per day | 150 per person per day; no more than 2 over 32 inches |
Notes
- New May 15, 2026: 150 blue catfish per day on most waters (was 25).
- Santee-Cooper lakes (Marion, Moultrie), the upper Santee River and the Pee Dee from the NC line to Hwy 301 stay at 25 per day, and only 2 of those may be over 32 inches.
- On the Congaree and Wateree rivers the bag is 150 but still only 2 fish over 32 inches.
- SCDNR State Lakes have their own catfish creel limits (3 or 5 per day depending on the lake) — see the State Lakes table.
Exact South Carolina Department of Natural Resources wording
- Season
- Open year-round
- Size
- No minimum; no more than 2 over 32 inches per day in Lakes Marion & Moultrie, upper Santee River, Pee Dee River (NC line to Hwy 301) and the Congaree & Wateree rivers
- Limit
- 150 per person per day statewide; 25 per person per day in Lakes Marion & Moultrie, upper Santee River and the Pee Dee River from the NC line to the Hwy 301 bridge
- SC freshwater statewide (except waters below) — as printed
- “The daily bag limit for blue catfish harvest is 150 fish per day per person on all state waterways except the daily bag limit remains 25 fish per day for Lake Marion, Lake Moultrie, the section of the Pee Dee River from the state border with North Carolina south to the Highway 301 bridge, and the upper reach of the Santee River. It is also unlawful to possess more than two blue catfish greater than thirty-two inches in length in any one day in Lake Marion, Lake Moultrie, the upper reach of the Santee River, the section of the Pee Dee River from the state border with North Carolina south to the Highway 301 bridge, and the Congaree and Wateree rivers.”
Source: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, captured 2026-10-01 (2026 season).
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Open SlotGauge for Blue CatfishAbout the blue catfish
Species of fish
The blue catfish is a large species of North American catfish, reaching a length of 65 in (170 cm) and a weight of 143 lb (65 kg). The continent's largest catfish, it can live to 20 years, with a typical fish being between 25–46 in (64–117 cm) and 30–70 lb (14–32 kg). Native distribution is primarily in the Mississippi River and Louisiana drainage systems, including the Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Arkansas Rivers, the Des Moines River in south-central Iowa, the Rio Grande, and south along the Gulf Coast to Belize and Guatemala.
Read more about Blue catfish on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, not Wikipedia.
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Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Blue Catfish in South Carolina?
No size limit in South Carolina state waters.
How many Blue Catfish can you keep per day in South Carolina?
150 per person per day.
When is Blue Catfish season in South Carolina?
Open year-round.
Is my Blue Catfish a keeper today?
Blue Catfish has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 150.