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South Carolina saltwater size limits and seasons

80 species, 2026 rules for state waters. Tap a species for every zone, the exact South Carolina Department of Natural Resources wording and a keeper check. Updated 2026-10-01. All 106 South Carolina species A–Z →

Species	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
Albacore & Skipjack Tuna	Open year-round	No size limit	No associated regulations
American Shad	Open year-round	None	10 shad per person per day except in Santee River and Rediversion Canal (20 per person per day)
Atlantic Croaker	Open year-round	No size limit	50 per person, croaker/spot/whiting combined
Atlantic Sharpnose Shark	Open year-round	No size limit printed	1 per person per day
Atlantic Spadefish	Open year-round	14 inch minimum	30 per boat per day (state waters)
Bigeye Tuna	Open year-round	27 inch minimum	No bag limit printed; federal HMS rules apply
Black Drum	Open year-round	14–27 inch slot	5 per person per day
Black Grouper	Open year-round	24 inch minimum	1 per person per day (gag or black grouper, not both), within the 3-grouper aggregate
Black Sea Bass	Open year-round	13 inch minimum	7 per person per day
Blackfin Snapper	Open year-round	No minimum size	10 per person per day (snapper aggregate)
Blue Marlin	Open year-round	99 inch minimum	No bag limit printed; federal HMS rules apply
Bluefin Tuna	Open year-round	Set by NOAA HMS — check before fishing	Set by NOAA HMS daily retention limit — check before fishing
Bluefish	Open year-round	No size limit	5 per person (7 on for-hire boats)
Blueline Tilefish	Open year-round	No minimum size	3 per person per day in state waters (2 in federal waters), within the 3-grouper aggregate
Bonnethead Shark	Open year-round	No size limit printed	1 per person per day
Cobia	June 1 – April 30	36 inch minimum	1 per person, max 3 per boat
Coney	Open year-round	No minimum size	3 per person per day (grouper aggregate)
Cubera Snapper	Open year-round	12 inch minimum	10 per person per day (snapper aggregate)
Dogfish (spiny & smooth)	Open year-round	No size limit	No associated regulations
Dolphin	Open year-round	20 inch minimum	10 per person, max 54 per boat
Florida Pompano	Open year-round	No size limit	No associated regulations
Flounder	Open year-round	16 inch minimum	5 per person, max 10 per boat
Gag Grouper	Open year-round	24 inch minimum	1 per person per day (gag or black grouper, not both), within the 3-grouper aggregate; 2 per vessel in federal waters
Golden Tilefish	Open year-round	No minimum size	1 per person per day, within the 3-grouper aggregate
Goliath Grouper	Closed	—	—
Gray Snapper	Open year-round	12 inch minimum	10 per person per day (snapper aggregate)
Gray Triggerfish	Open year-round	12 inch minimum	20 aggregate per person per day with other complex species, no more than 10 of any one species
Graysby	Open year-round	No minimum size	3 per person per day (grouper aggregate)
Greater Amberjack	Open year-round	28 inch minimum	1 per person per day
Hammerhead Sharks	Open year-round	78 inch minimum	No bag limit printed on this row — confirm with NOAA HMS rules before keeping one
Herring	Open year-round	No size limit	1 US bushel per person per day
Hogfish	Open year-round	17 inch minimum	2 per person per day
Hybrid Striped Bass (saltwater)	Open year-round	No size limit	No bag limit
King Mackerel	Open year-round	24 inch minimum	3 per person per day
Lane Snapper	Open year-round	8 inch minimum	10 per person per day (snapper aggregate)
Longbill Spearfish	Closed	—	—
Misty Grouper	Open year-round	No minimum size	3 per person per day (grouper aggregate)
Mutton Snapper	Open year-round	18 inch minimum	5 per person per day, within the 10-snapper aggregate
Nassau Grouper	Closed	—	—
Other Snapper-Grouper Complex Species	Open year-round	No size limit	20 per person per day aggregate across this group, no more than 10 of any one species
Other Tunas (Blackfin, Bonita, Little Tunny)	Open year-round	No size limit	No associated regulations
Prohibited Sharks	Closed	—	—
Queen Snapper	Open year-round	No minimum size	10 per person per day (snapper aggregate)
Red Drum	Open year-round	18–25 inch slot	1 per person, max 2 per boat
Red Grouper	Open year-round	20 inch minimum	3 per person per day (grouper aggregate)
Red Hind	Open year-round	No minimum size	3 per person per day (grouper aggregate)
Red Porgy	Open year-round	14 inch minimum	1 per person per day
Red Snapper	Open year-round	20 inch minimum	2 per person per day (state waters only)
Rock Hind	Open year-round	No minimum size	3 per person per day (grouper aggregate)
Roundscale Spearfish	Open year-round	66 inch minimum	No bag limit printed; federal HMS rules apply
Sailfish	Open year-round	63 inch minimum	No bag limit printed; federal HMS rules apply
Saltwater Catfish	Closed	—	—
Sand Tilefish	Open year-round	No minimum size	3 per person per day (grouper aggregate)
Scamp	Open year-round	No minimum size	3 per person per day in state waters; federal: 1 scamp or yellowmouth (not both), within the 3-grouper aggregate
Sharks (1-per-vessel group)	Open year-round	54 inch minimum	1 shark per vessel per trip (combined for all species in this group)
Sheepshead	Open year-round	14 inch minimum	10 per person, max 30 per boat
Silk Snapper	Open year-round	No minimum size	10 per person per day (snapper aggregate)
Snowy Grouper	Open year-round	No minimum size	1 per vessel per day, within the 3-grouper aggregate
Spanish Mackerel	Open year-round	12 inch minimum	15 per person per day
Speckled Hind	Closed	—	—
Spot	Open year-round	No size limit	50 per person, croaker/spot/whiting combined
Spotted Seatrout	Open year-round	14 inch minimum	10 per person per day
Striped Bass	October 1 – June 15	26 inch minimum	3 per person per day
Sturgeon (Atlantic & Shortnose)	Closed	—	—
Swordfish	Open year-round	47 inch minimum	1 per person per day, max 4 per vessel per trip
Tarpon	Open year-round	77 inch minimum	1 per person per day
Tripletail	Open year-round	18 inch minimum	3 per person, max 9 per boat
Vermilion Snapper	Open year-round	12 inch minimum	5 per person per day
Wahoo	Open year-round	No size limit	2 per person per day
Warsaw Grouper	Closed	—	—
Weakfish	Open year-round	12 inch minimum	1 per person per day
White Grunt	Open year-round	No minimum size	20 aggregate per person per day with other complex species, no more than 10 of any one species
White Marlin	Open year-round	66 inch minimum	No bag limit printed; federal HMS rules apply
Whiting	Open year-round	No size limit	50 per person, croaker/spot/whiting combined
Wreckfish	Open year-round	No minimum size	1 per vessel per day
Yellowedge Grouper	Open year-round	No minimum size	3 per person per day (grouper aggregate)
Yellowfin Grouper	Open year-round	No minimum size	3 per person per day (grouper aggregate)
Yellowfin Tuna	Open year-round	27 inch minimum	3 per person per day per trip
Yellowmouth Grouper	Open year-round	No minimum size	3 per person per day in state waters; federal: 1 scamp or yellowmouth (not both), within the 3-grouper aggregate
Yellowtail Snapper	Open year-round	12 inch minimum	10 per person per day (snapper aggregate)