Grass Carp regulations in South Carolina

· Freshwater · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Grass Carp is closed to harvest. Release it.

Grass Carp size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
SC public freshwaters	Closed to harvest	—	—

Notes

Stocked for weed control; it is illegal to take, harm or kill grass carp in public waters — release immediately.

Exact South Carolina Department of Natural Resources wording

Season: Possession prohibited
Size: Possession prohibited
Limit: Possession prohibited
SC public freshwaters — as printed: “It is unlawful to take, harm, or kill grass carp or robust redhorse from public waters. Any grass carp or robust redhorse taken must be returned immediately to the water from which it was taken.”

Source: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, captured 2026-10-01 (2026 season).

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About the grass carp

Species of fish

The grass carp is a species of large herbivorous freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae, native to the Pacific Far East, with a native range stretching from northern Vietnam to the Amur River on the Sino-Russian border. This Asian carp is the only species of the genus Ctenopharyngodon.

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 Grass Carp in South Carolina?

No size limit in South Carolina state waters.

How many Grass Carp can you keep per day in South Carolina?

Possession prohibited.

When is Grass Carp season in South Carolina?

Open year-round.

Is my Grass Carp a keeper today?

Grass Carp is closed to harvest. Release it.