Grouper and snapper at a glance
- Groupers
- Gag, scamp, red grouper; deeper: snowy, yellowedge; Warsaw and speckled hind are prohibited
- Snappers
- Vermilion (beeliner), red snapper; occasional mutton and gray snapper
- Where
- Ledges, live bottom, wrecks, and the shelf edge, about 20 to 60+ miles out
- Required gear
- Descending device, non-offset non-stainless circle hooks with natural bait, dehooking tool
- Seasons
- Shallow-water grouper close part of the year; red snapper open only on announced days (2026: Oct 9 to 11 federal)
- Grand Strand records
- Warsaw grouper 310 lb (1976), scamp 28 lb 8.3 oz (2018), red grouper 33 lb 13 oz (2022), red snapper 37 lb 8 oz (1964) (SCDNR)
The fish
Gag grouper are the classic ledge fish, powerful and quick to dive into rocks. Scamp are prized eating fish; South Carolina's record, 28 pounds 8.3 ounces, was landed at Crazy Sister Marina in Murrells Inlet in 2018, per SCDNR. Red grouper have become more common in recent years; the state record, 33 pounds 13 ounces, came out of Little River in 2022. Deeper water holds snowy and yellowedge grouper (state record 21 pounds 5 ounces, Murrells Inlet, 2021).
Vermilion snapper (beeliners) school over live bottom. Red snapper are abundant at the shelf edge and on ledges; the state record, 37 pounds 8 ounces, came from Little River in 1964.
Warsaw grouper and speckled hind are now prohibited in federal waters; SCDNR notes their records (310 pounds from Murrells Inlet, 1976, and 45 pounds from Little River, 1973) will stand.
Where and how
Most grouper and snapper fishing is 20 to 60 miles or more offshore on ledges, live bottom, and wrecks. Captains anchor or drift and fish:
- Live bait (cigar minnows, pinfish, sardines) on heavy tackle for grouper.
- Cut squid and fish on two-hook rigs for vermilion snapper and red porgy.
- Vertical jigs for grouper and snapper.
The key with grouper is to turn the fish fast; a gag that reaches the rocks is usually lost.
Seasons, limits, and gear
The snapper-grouper fishery has the most complex rules on the coast:
- Shallow-water grouper (gag, scamp, red grouper and others) close for part of the year, generally winter and early spring, during spawning.
- Aggregate bag limits combine several species into one limit.
- Red snapper are open only on announced days. In 2026 the federal season was October 9 to 11, one fish per person, and South Carolina permit holders fished through October 22. See red snapper 2026.
- Required gear: a descending device rigged and ready, non-offset non-stainless circle hooks with natural bait, and a dehooking tool.
Check SAFMC's current regulations before every trip; seasons and limits change often.
Booking
Book a full-day bottom charter or a full-day or Gulf Stream headboat when grouper season is open. See bottom fishing and headboats.
More Grouper and snapper photos
Photo credits and licenses · Photos are illustrative, not a specific local boat, business, or catch.
Who you will deal with
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council
4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 29405
More offices, with notes, are on the local resources page.
Find local help
Listings come from public records or from the business itself. A listing is not a recommendation.
Common questions
Why are so many red snapper released?
Red snapper are abundant on the shelf off South Carolina, but federal managers limit harvest to protect the stock, so the season is only a few days a year. Outside those days, every red snapper must be released, ideally with a descending device.
What is a beeliner?
A local name for vermilion snapper, a smaller, bright-red snapper that schools over live bottom and is a common catch on full-day bottom trips.
Can I catch grouper on a headboat?
Yes, on full-day and Gulf Stream headboat trips, when grouper season is open. Half-day trips rarely reach grouper bottom.
Related guides
More offshore and gulf stream fish
Sources
Official sources checked on October 29, 2026.