Fishing from a licensed pier or a licensed charter boat? Your SC saltwater license is covered. License rules
MyrtleBeachSCFishing.comA local resource from the publishers of HERE Myrtle Beach
A mahi-mahi leaping out of the water on the end of a line

Fish species of Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand

What swims off the Grand Strand, when it shows up, where it is caught, and which trip or pier gives you the best shot. Size and bag limits change, so each page links the current SCDNR and NOAA rules rather than repeating numbers that may be out of date.

Photo: Galomalavasi · CC BY-SA 4.0

Offshore and Gulf Stream

A mahi-mahi leaping out of the water on the end of a line Mahi-mahi (dolphin)Mahi-mahi (dolphin fish) off Myrtle Beach: the spring and summer Gulf Stream run, weedlines and birds, trolling and casting, and where to check current limits. A wahoo swimming in open blue water WahooWahoo off Myrtle Beach: the fall and spring Gulf Stream bite, high-speed trolling, the 130-lb Murrells Inlet state record, and where to check limits. A school of yellowfin tuna swimming in blue water Tuna (blackfin, yellowfin)Tuna off Myrtle Beach: blackfin and yellowfin in the Gulf Stream, when they bite, how they are caught, HMS permit rules, and state records. An Atlantic blue marlin leaping out of the water with its bill in the air Marlin and sailfishBlue marlin, white marlin, and sailfish off the Grand Strand: Gulf Stream season, catch-and-release, HMS permits, and Georgetown's tournament. A gag grouper with its mottled pattern Grouper and snapperGrouper and snapper off Myrtle Beach: gag, scamp, red grouper, vermilion and red snapper, where they live, how they are caught, and the seasons and gear rules. A greater amberjack swimming over a reef AmberjackGreater amberjack off Myrtle Beach: wrecks and ledges, live bait and jigs, the 129-lb Murrells Inlet state record from 2024, and current rules.

Nearshore and pier

An angler holding up a large king mackerel King mackerelKing mackerel (kingfish) off Myrtle Beach: spring and fall runs, pier and nearshore fishing, slow-trolling live bait, tournament smokers, and rules. A Spanish mackerel with yellow spots swimming over a reef Spanish mackerelSpanish mackerel off Myrtle Beach: when they run, catching them from piers, beaches, and boats with spoons and Gotcha plugs, and current limits. A cobia swimming in an aquarium with smaller fish CobiaCobia off Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand: the May and June run, sight-casting near buoys and rays, bottom fishing, and where to check seasons and limits. A blacktip shark swimming in clear blue water SharksShark fishing off Myrtle Beach: common species, the 1,780-lb Cherry Grove tiger shark record, charter trips, prohibited sharks, HMS permits, and safe release. Black sea bass over a live-bottom reef with sponges and corals Black sea bassBlack sea bass off Myrtle Beach: the bread-and-butter headboat fish, where they live on reefs and live bottom, how to catch them, and where to check limits. A southern kingfish, called whiting locally, lying on a dock Whiting, spot, and croakerWhiting (sea mullet), spot, and croaker: the Grand Strand's pier and surf panfish, when they bite, the October spot run, rigs and baits, and state records.

Inshore and surf

A red drum with the black spot near its tail Red drum (redfish)Red drum (redfish) on the Grand Strand: where and when, tailing reds and fall bulls, tackle, and South Carolina's July 2026 slot and boat limit. A southern flounder, a flat brown fish with both eyes on one side FlounderFlounder fishing on the Grand Strand: southern, summer, and Gulf flounder in creeks, at piers, and on reefs, with rigs, baits, records, and limits. An illustration of a spotted seatrout with black spots on its back and tail Spotted seatroutSpotted seatrout (speckled trout) on the Grand Strand: fall and spring seasons, popping corks and soft plastics, cold kills, records, and limits. A black drum, a deep-bodied gray drum with chin barbels Black drum and sheepsheadBlack drum and sheepshead on the Grand Strand: jetties, docks, and pier pilings, fiddler crabs and clams, cool-season bites, and where to check SC limits.

Seasons on these pages are typical patterns described by SCDNR and local fleets. Water temperature drives everything, so a warm or cold year shifts them by weeks.