Hybrid Striped Bass (freshwater) regulations in South Carolina

Temperate Bass · Freshwater · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Hybrid Striped Bass (freshwater) has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 10.

Hybrid Striped Bass (freshwater) size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
SC freshwater statewide (except water bodies below)	Open year-round	Any length	10 striped or hybrid bass combined
Coastal rivers: Ashepoo, Ashley, Back (Jasper & Berkeley), Black, Black Mingo Cr., Bull & Little Bull Cr., Combahee, Cooper system, Coosawhatchie, Cuckholds Cr., Edisto, Horseshoe Cr., ICW (Horry Co.), Lumber, Lynches, Great & Little Pee Dee, Pocotaligo, Salkehatchie & Little Salkehatchie, Sampit, Tulifinny, Thoroughfare Cr., Waccamaw	October 1 – June 15	26 inch minimum	3 striped or hybrid bass combined, Oct. 1 - June 15; closed June 16 - Sept. 30
Santee River system incl. lower Saluda River	October 1 – June 15	23–25 inch slot	3 combined; slot 23-25 inches, except one fish may be over 26 inches; closed June 16 - Sept. 30 (catch & release only on lower Saluda)
Lake Murray & middle reach of the Saluda River (Hwy 395 to Lake Greenwood Dam)	Open year-round	21 inch minimum	5 combined; 21 inch minimum Oct. 1 - May 31, any length June 1 - Sept. 30
Lake Russell & Lake Hartwell tailwater	Open year-round	Only one fish may exceed 34 inches	2 combined; only 1 fish over 34 inches
Savannah River, lower (ocean to Thurmond Dam)	Open year-round	27 inch minimum	2 striped, hybrid or white bass combined
Lake Hartwell & Lake Thurmond	Open year-round	Only three fish may exceed 26 inches	10 combined; only 3 fish over 26 inches

Notes

Hybrids and striped bass share one limit everywhere — count them together.
Statewide default is 10 per day, any size. Coastal rivers: 3 per day, 26 inch minimum, closed June 16 - Sept. 30. Santee system: 3 per day in a 23-25 inch slot plus one over 26, same closure.
Lake Murray / middle Saluda: 5 per day, 21 inch minimum Oct. 1 - May 31 (any size in summer). Lakes Russell and Hartwell tailwater: 2 per day, only one over 34 inches. Hartwell & Thurmond: 10 per day, only three over 26 inches. Lower Savannah River: 2 per day, 27 inch minimum.
During the June 16 - Sept. 30 closure on the lower Saluda, catch-and-release is allowed but live/cut bait hooks must have a gap of 3/8 inch or less unless using inline, non-offset, non-stainless circle hooks.

Exact South Carolina Department of Natural Resources wording

Season: Open year-round statewide; coastal rivers and Santee system closed June 16 - Sept. 30
Size: Any length statewide; see water-body zones
Limit: 10 striped or hybrid bass combined statewide; see water-body zones
SC freshwater statewide (except water bodies below) — as printed: “Statewide except the water bodies list below: | Striped or Hybrid Bass or a combination | Any length | 10 || Ashepoo River; Ashley River; Back River in Jasper County and the Back River in Berkeley County; Black River; Black Mingo Creek; Bull Creek and Little Bull Creek; Combahee River; Cooper River system (see map); Coosawhatchie River; Cuckholds Creek; Edisto River; Horseshoe Creek; Intracoastal Waterway (Horry County); Lumber River; Lynches River; Great Pee Dee and Little Pee Dee Rivers; Pocotaligo in Beaufort, Jasper, and Hampton Counties; Salkehatchie and Little Salkehatchie Rivers; Sampit River; Tulifinny River; Thoroughfare Creek; and Waccamaw River | Striped or Hybrid Bass or a combination | Oct. 1 - June 15: 26 inches min | 3 | June 16 - Sept. 30 closed || Santee River system (see map below); includes Saluda River (Lower Reach) | Striped or Hybrid Bass or a combination | Oct. 1 - June 15 striped bass between 23 and 25 inches may be harvested except that one fish may be greater than 26 inches | 3 | June 16 - Sept. 30 closed except for Lower Reach Saluda River where catch and release is allowed ... || Lake Murray | Striped or Hybrid Bass or a combination | Oct. 1 - May 31: 21 inches min | 5 | June 1 - Sept. 30: any length | Unlawful to take, attempt to take, or possess more than 5 || Saluda River (Middle Reach) ... | Oct. 1 - May 31: 21 inches | 5 | June 1 - Sept. 30: any length || Lake Russell | Striped or Hybrid Bass or a combination | Only 1 fish larger than 34 inches | 2 || Lake Hartwell Tailwater | Striped or Hybrid Bass or a combination | Only 1 fish over 34 inches | 2 || Savannah River (Lower) ... | Striped, Hybrid or White Bass or a combination | 27 inches min | 2 || Lake Hartwell & Lake Thurmond | Striped or Hybrid Bass or a combination | Only 3 fish over 26 inches | 10”

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

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More temperate bass

Hybrid Striped Bass (saltwater)

About the hybrid striped bass

Hybrid fish

A hybrid striped bass, also commonly referred to by the portmanteau wiper, is a freshwater hybrid fish between white bass and striped bass. In the United States, wiper are raised in hatcheries and stocked extensively, particularly in lower midwest and southeastern reservoirs.

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 Hybrid Striped Bass (freshwater) in South Carolina?

Any length in South Carolina state waters.

How many Hybrid Striped Bass (freshwater) can you keep per day in South Carolina?

10 striped or hybrid bass combined.

When is Hybrid Striped Bass (freshwater) season in South Carolina?

Open year-round.

Is my Hybrid Striped Bass (freshwater) a keeper today?

Hybrid Striped Bass (freshwater) has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 10.