South Carolina changed its red drum rules on July 1, 2026

What changed

Red drum, also called redfish or spottail bass, are the signature inshore fish of the Grand Strand. Senate Bill 961 was signed on May 19, 2026 and took effect July 1, 2026. As summarized in South Carolina's official regulations guide (updated August 11, 2026), the current rules are:

• Slot: red drum must be between 18 and 25 inches total length to keep.
• Limit: 1 per person per day, and no more than 2 per boat per day.
• Federal waters: possession of red drum in or from federal waters (beyond 3 miles) is prohibited, as it has been for years.

The law also covers hooks for saltwater gamefish: when fishing with natural bait on hooks 4/0 or larger, anglers must use non-offset, non-stainless-steel circle hooks. Read the bill text for the exact wording.

Why older pages are wrong

Before July 1, 2026, the slot was 15 to 23 inches. Some official and commercial pages still show the old numbers, including at least one older SCDNR species page we checked in October 2026. That is why this site links to the regulations instead of repeating numbers that can go stale. If two sources disagree, the most recent official regulations guide and the statute control; call SCDNR if you are unsure.

What it means on the water

Most red drum caught in Murrells Inlet, Little River, and the Georgetown marshes fall in or below the slot. Large "bull" red drum, over the slot, show up along the beaches, jetties, and inlets in fall and must be released. Handle them quickly, support their weight horizontally, and keep them in the water when you can. Our red drum page covers seasons and tactics.