South Carolina Surf Fishing Guide
South Carolina coverage runs from the Grand Strand at Myrtle Beach and Murrells Inlet–Pawleys Island through the Lowcountry beaches of Folly, Edisto and Hunting Island to Hilton Head Island.
Striper Tracker covers 6 South Carolina surf-fishing locations: Myrtle Beach – Grand Strand North, Murrells Inlet – Pawleys, Charleston Beaches – Folly, Edisto Beach, Hunting Island – Beaufort marshes and Hilton Head Island. Each one has its own Surf Fishing HQ page with live ocean temperature, tides, waves, wind and moon, and the fish usually in season.
South Carolina beaches we cover
Myrtle Beach – Grand Strand NorthFree to view
Grand Strand · surf and pier · also covers North Myrtle / Cherry Grove and Surfside
Seasonal species: Red drum (surf), Whiting / sea mullet, Speckled trout, Black drum, Sheepshead, Spanish mackerel, Bluefish, Pompano and Sharks. Main surf target: Red drum (surf).
Tides: NOAA station 8661070 (semidiurnal) · Waves: NDBC buoy 41110, SSBN7
Murrells Inlet – Pawleys
Grand Strand · surf, pier, inlet and marsh · also covers Litchfield / Pawleys
Seasonal species: Red drum (surf), Red drum (marsh flood tide), Whiting / sea mullet, Speckled trout, Black drum, Sheepshead, Spanish mackerel, Bluefish, Pompano and Sharks.
Tides: NOAA station 8662006 (semidiurnal) · Waves: NDBC buoy 41110
Charleston Beaches – Folly
Lowcountry · surf, pier, inlet and marsh · also covers Isle of Palms / Sullivan’s (Breach Inlet)
Seasonal species: Red drum (surf), Red drum (marsh flood tide), Whiting / sea mullet, Speckled trout, Black drum, Sheepshead, Spanish mackerel, Bluefish, Pompano and Sharks. Main surf target: Red drum (marsh flood tide).
Tides: NOAA station 8666652 (semidiurnal) · Waves: NDBC buoy 41076, 41029
Edisto Beach
Lowcountry · surf, inlet and marsh
Seasonal species: Red drum (surf), Red drum (marsh flood tide), Whiting / sea mullet, Speckled trout, Black drum, Sheepshead, Spanish mackerel, Bluefish, Pompano and Sharks. Main surf target: Red drum (marsh flood tide).
Tides: NOAA station 8667630 (semidiurnal) · Waves: NDBC buoy 41067
Hunting Island – Beaufort marshes
Lowcountry · surf, pier and marsh · also covers Fripp
Seasonal species: Red drum (surf), Red drum (marsh flood tide), Whiting / sea mullet, Speckled trout, Black drum, Sheepshead, Spanish mackerel, Bluefish, Pompano and Sharks. Main surf target: Red drum (marsh flood tide).
Tides: NOAA station 8668498 (semidiurnal) · Waves: NDBC buoy 41067, 41033
Hilton Head Island
Lowcountry · surf, inlet and marsh
Seasonal species: Red drum (surf), Red drum (marsh flood tide), Whiting / sea mullet, Speckled trout, Black drum, Sheepshead, Spanish mackerel, Bluefish, Pompano and Sharks.
Tides: NOAA station 8670870 (semidiurnal) · Waves: NDBC buoy 41067
South Carolina surf fishing seasons
| Species | Usually around | Peak | How anglers fish it | Season source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red drum (surf) | Mar–Nov occasional Dec–Feb | Apr–May, Aug–Nov | Cut mullet in the troughs near inlets. SCDNR notes adults moving offshore in late Oct–Nov set off a burst of good surf fishing. | regional research |
| Whiting / sea mullet | Mar–Nov | Mar–May, Sep–Oct | Shrimp on small hooks in the first trough; spring and early fall are best. | regional research |
| Speckled trout | Sep–Apr | Oct–Nov | Creek mouths and inlets on moving water; live shrimp under a float or soft plastics. | general guidance |
| Black drum | all year | Feb–Apr, Oct–Nov | Fresh shrimp or clams on the bottom near pilings, jetties and inlet edges. | general guidance |
| Sheepshead | Nov–May | Feb–Apr | Fiddler crabs or barnacles tight to pier pilings and jetty rocks; spawning season is late winter–spring. | regional research |
| Spanish mackerel | Apr–Oct | May–Sep | Small spoons or Gotcha plugs from piers on clear, moving water. | regional research |
| Bluefish | Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov | Apr, Oct | Cut bait or metals in the surf during spring and fall migrations. | general guidance |
| Pompano | May–Oct | Jun–Sep | Sand fleas or Fishbites on pompano rigs in the trough. | regional research |
| Sharks | May–Oct | Jun–Sep | Cut bait on heavy surf tackle, mostly at night. Know the regulations and release protected species. | general guidance |
| Red drum (marsh flood tide) | May–Oct | Aug–Oct | Tailing reds on flooded grass during the highest spring-tide floods. The flood height that works is different at every marsh. | SCDNR warm-month data; exact months estimated |
Seasons are regional calendars from published sources, not checked for this exact beach. "Usually around" means the fish is normally present that month; it is not a rating of today's fishing, a catch report or a sighting.
Where the conditions come from
Ocean temperature comes from the nearest suitable NOAA buoy or water-level station, with NASA JPL MUR satellite temperature as a fallback; tides from NOAA tide stations; wind from the National Weather Service forecast; and moon phases from the U.S. Naval Observatory. Each beach page names its own stations and how old each reading is.
Licenses and regulations
Saltwater licenses, size limits and seasons change. Check the South Carolina DNR Marine Resources before you fish.
More surf fishing guides
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