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Rules and seasons

Myrtle Beach fishing calendar: what's biting, month by month

Water temperature sets the Grand Strand fishing calendar. Spring brings cobia, mahi, and the first mackerel; summer is peak for the Gulf Stream and the piers; fall is the best all-around season; and winter belongs to wahoo offshore and schooling redfish inshore. Here is the typical pattern, month by month.

Last reviewed · Information only · Rules can change, check SCDNR

Photo: Punker1999 · CC0

Best months by target

Mahi (dolphin)
April to July, peaking May and June
Wahoo
Fall through spring, best around October to November and March to April
King mackerel
Spring and fall near the beach; summer farther out
Cobia
May to June nearshore (federal and state seasons apply)
Red drum, trout, flounder
September to November inshore
Pier fish (whiting, spot, Spanish)
April to November; spot run in October

How to use this calendar

These are typical patterns described by SCDNR and local fleets. A warm spring can move everything two or three weeks earlier; a hurricane or cold snap can end a run overnight. Water temperature at the beach and offshore buoys is the best predictor. Seasons and limits for many species, especially bottom fish and red snapper, are set separately each year; check size and bag limits before every trip.

Month by month

January. Coldest water. Inshore red drum in big schools in clear creeks; sheepshead and black drum at docks and jetties. Offshore on calm days: wahoo and blackfin tuna along the Gulf Stream, bottom fishing where seasons allow. Oyster and clam season is open.

February. Like January. Fewer boats running. A good month to book an inshore trip on a warm, calm afternoon.

March. Water starts to warm. Wahoo bite well offshore. Inshore trout and reds become more active. Some headboats resume regular schedules.

April. Spring arrives offshore: mahi start showing in the Gulf Stream, wahoo are still around, and blackfin tuna feed on the edge. Nearshore, the first king and Spanish mackerel and bluefish move in. Whiting and pompano in the surf. Piers begin to pick up.

May. One of the best months offshore: mahi peak, with billfish starting. Cobia pass along the beaches and nearshore reefs. Kings close to the beach. The Georgetown Blue Marlin Tournament is in late May (May 26 to 29 in 2027, per the Governor's Cup schedule).

June. Mahi and billfish offshore; Spanish mackerel thick along the beaches; flounder inshore and on nearshore reefs; sharks active. Peak headboat season begins.

July. Hot. Fish early. Gulf Stream trips for mahi, sailfish, and marlin; bottom fishing; sharks at night from the beach. Inshore: early-morning reds and flounder.

August. Like July, with afternoon thunderstorms. Spanish mackerel and bluefish off the piers. Hurricane season can disrupt trips.

September. Fall begins: finger mullet run down the beach and inshore fish feed hard. Red drum, including bulls over the slot, at the inlets. The fall king run starts late in the month.

October. The best all-around month. King mackerel close to the beach and piers (the Rumble in the Jungle tournament is in October); spot run; red drum, trout, and flounder inshore; wahoo begin offshore. Shellfish season opens October 1.

November. Kings and bull reds continue into the month; trout and reds excellent inshore; wahoo and blackfin tuna good offshore on calm days.

December. Water cools quickly. Inshore reds school; sheepshead on structure; offshore wahoo when the weather allows. SCDNR says NOAA Fisheries will decide whether to add red snapper days in December 2026; check the SCDNR red snapper page.

Plan your trip around the fish

  • Want a big offshore fish? April to June for mahi, fall and spring for wahoo.
  • Want a family pier day? April to June or September to October.
  • Want redfish and trout? September to November.
  • Visiting in summer? Book early-morning trips and a backup weather day.

See the species pages for each fish's season in more detail.

In pictures

An angler holding up a large king mackerel
An angler holding up a large king mackerel
A Spanish mackerel with yellow spots swimming over a reef
A Spanish mackerel with yellow spots swimming over a reef
A cobia swimming in an aquarium with smaller fish
A cobia swimming in an aquarium with smaller fish
A mahi-mahi leaping out of the water on the end of a line
A mahi-mahi leaping out of the water on the end of a line
A red drum with the black spot near its tail
A red drum with the black spot near its tail
Black sea bass over a live-bottom reef with sponges and corals
Black sea bass over a live-bottom reef with sponges and corals

Photo credits and licenses · Photos are illustrative, not a specific local boat, business, or catch.

Who you will deal with

NDBC buoy 41004 (Edisto)

Website

NOAA tide predictions: Springmaid Pier (station 8661070)

Website

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

Can you fish in Myrtle Beach in winter?

Yes. Inshore red drum school up in clear water, sheepshead and black drum feed on structure, and offshore boats run for wahoo, blackfin tuna, and bottom fish on calm days. Fewer boats run in winter, and several bottom species are closed, so call ahead.

When is the king mackerel run?

Kings move close to the beach in spring, roughly April and May, and again in fall, from about late September into November, when piers and nearshore boats do best. In summer they are farther offshore. Water temperature in the upper 60s to 70s is what anglers watch for.

When do the spot run?

Spot run down the beach in fall, typically in October, and pier anglers turn out in numbers for them. Two of South Carolina's spot records were caught at Garden City Pier in 1978.

Related guides

A red snapper lying on a wooden dockRules and seasons Size and bag limits A charter fishing boat with anglers aboard heading out past a channel markerPlan a trip Types of fishing trips Anglers on a long wooden fishing pier at dusk on the Grand StrandFish from shore Fishing piers An Atlantic blue marlin leaping out of the water with its bill in the airPlan a trip Deep sea and Gulf Stream

All guides

Sources

Official sources checked on October 29, 2026.

  1. SCDNR: Saltwater fishing (species information and reports)
  2. SC Fishing Regulations (official SCDNR guide): saltwater finfish size and catch limits
  3. South Atlantic Fishery Management Council: regulations (seasons)
  4. SCDNR news release: shellfish season opens October 1, 2026
  5. SC Governor's Cup Billfishing Series: 2027 schedule (newsletter, October 2026)
  6. NDBC buoy 41004 (water temperature)