Redfish Slot Limit Sc
- Most anglers use the term for any redfish over the slot limit set by their state. Others don’t consider a redfish to really be a bull until it’s over 3 feet long. North Carolina anglers would likely chuckle about what some other places call bulls. This is for good reason, as they commonly catch true giants in the Tar Heel State.
- These bull reds fight hard and can get upwards of 40lbs. The bigger redfish must be released due to the legal slot for keeping redfish is 15-23in. If you do catch redfish in the slot limit, they are great to eat. All in all, any size redfish will put up a great fight and test you as an angler. Spotted Sea Trout.
South Carolina Hunting & Fishing
Redfish Slot Limit Scales
TL=Total Length, FL=Fork Length; See General Information for information on how to measure a fish.
Redfish Slot Limit Texas
AIW=Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway; State Waters extend from the saltwater-freshwater dividing line to the 3-mile limit. Federal Waters extend from the 3-mile limit to 200 miles offshore (international waters).
Up to date fishing regulations can be found on the SCDNR website atwww.eregulations.com/southcarolina/huntingandfishing/general-information/
Check out South Carolina saltwater fishing regulations on the Fish Rules App at www.fishrulesapp.com.
All species in this section must be landed with head and tail intact.
This total shall not exceed more than the limits or exceptions listed below. Any game fish or species with a size limit listed must be landed with head and tail fin intact. All freshwater fish species in the state of South Carolina are measured using total length. Special limits and regulations apply to SCDNR managed lakes. Redfish is just one favorite among Myrtle Beach fishermen and women. These bronze or tan colored fish have a distinct black dot (or dots) near the tail. Many anglers will sight fish for redfish in shallow waters, keeping an eye on the top water for the backs and tails of the redfish to appear. More hours are spent pursuing redfish in South Carolina than any other saltwater species, and they stay in the estuaries and will eat the year round. Very large spottail bass move offshore, where they are more commonly referred to as red drum, but fish that run up to about 15 or 16 pounds will usually be found inshore.
An operator or crew member onboard a for-hire or commercial vessel must have a valid Operator Card when underway fishing for Dolphin/Wahoo.
Redfish Slot Limit Scale
These species are also managed by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) in federal waters. Regulations may change. Please contact the SAFMC at 843-571-4366 or www.safmc.net to get the most up to date regulations on these species.
The harvest and possession of coastal migratory pelagic species by commercial and recreational fishermen will be limited to the recreational bag limit within the Special Management Zones. See “Special Information” (General Information) for information on SMZs.
Inshore & Offshore | ||||
Species | Closed Season | Bag Limit | Size Limit | Restrictions |
Inshore Finfish | ||||
| American Shad | No closed season for recreational hook & line harvest; For all other gears, seasons as for commercial harvest. | 10 shad per person per day except in Santee River and Rediversion Canal (20 per person per day) |
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| Herring | See Freshwater Nongame Fishing Regulations for closed areas. | 1 US bushel of herring per person per day |
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| Black Drum | 5 per person per day | 14-inch to 27-inch TL | ||
| Bluefish | 3 per person per day (5 per person in the for-hire fishery) | |||
| Flounders (Southern, Summer & Gulf) | 10 per person per day not to exceed 20 per boat per day | 15-inch TL |
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| Red Drum | May not be harvested by gig Dec. 1 – Feb. 28 | 2 per person per day (state waters) not to exceed 6 per boat per day Possession prohibited in federal waters. | 15-inch to 23-inch TL |
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| Saltwater Catfishes (Hardhead & gafftopsail catfishes) | Possession prohibited | Possession prohibited |
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| Sheepshead | 10 per person per day not to exceed 30 per boat per day | 14-inch TL | ||
| Spotted Seatrout | May not be harvested by gig Dec. 1 – Feb. 28 | 10 per person per day | 14-inch TL |
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| Striped Bass | Possession prohibited: June 1 – Sept. 30 except in lower reach of the Savannah River (2 per person per day year round; see Freshwater Fish Size & Possession Limits for details.) | Possession prohibited: June 1 – Sept. 30; 3 fish per person per day: Oct. 1 – May 31 except in lower reach of the Savannah River (2 per person per day year round; see Freshwater Fish Size & Possession Limits for details.) | 26 inch TL except in lower reach of the Savannah River (27 inch TL; see Freshwater Fish Size & Possession Limits for details.) |
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| Hybrid Bass, White Bass, & Combinations | In lower reach of the Savannah River: 2 per person per day All other saltwaters: no bag limit | In the lower reach of the Savannah River: 27 inch TL All other saltwaters: no size limit | ||
| Tarpon | 1 per person per day | 77-inch FL |
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| Tripletail | 3 per person per day not to exceed 9 per boat per day | 18-inch TL | ||
| Weakfish | 1 per person per day | 12-inch TL | ||
| Atlantic Croaker, Spot, Whiting | 50 per person per day aggregate bag limit |
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Offshore Finfish | ||||
| Cobia | May 1 to May 31 in state waters south of 032° 31.0’ N latitude (Jeremy Inlet, Edisto Island) In federal and all other state waters, closed when Annual Catch Limit (ACL) is met | 1 per person per day and no more than 3 per boat per day in State waters south of 032° 31.0’ N 1 per person per day and no more than 6 per boat per day federal waters and state waters north of 032° 31.0’ N | 36-inch FL |
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| Dolphin | 10 per person per day not to exceed 60 per boat per day. Headboats have no boat limit | 20-inch FL |
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| King Mackerel | 3 per person per day | 24-inch FL |
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| Spanish Mackerel | 15 per person per day | 12-inch FL |
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| Wahoo | 2 per person per day |
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