South Carolina Fishing Calendar
What's biting month by month, and how many South Carolina charters on Unreel target each fish.
| Fish | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Redfish175 charters · March to May and August to November, also June to July and December to February | January: also fished | February: also fished | March: peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: also fished | July: also fished | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: also fished |
 Flounder124 charters · May to October, also April | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: also fished | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Shark78 charters · May to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Sheepshead77 charters · February to April and October to December, also January and May | January: also fished | February: peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: also fished | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: peak |
 Black Drum75 charters · February to May and October to November, also December to January | January: also fished | February: peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: also fished |
 Tarpon70 charters · July to August, also May to June and September to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: also fished | June: also fished | July: peak | August: peak | September: also fished | October: also fished | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Speckled Trout68 charters · March to May and September to December, also January to February and June to August | January: also fished | February: also fished | March: peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: also fished | July: also fished | August: also fished | September: peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: peak |
 Grouper61 charters · May to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Black Sea Bass52 charters · May to October, also December to April | January: also fished | February: also fished | March: also fished | April: also fished | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: also fished |
 Cobia44 charters · April to June, also July to August | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: also fished | August: also fished | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Mahi-Mahi34 charters · April to August | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 King Mackerel32 charters · April to June and September to November, also July to August | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: also fished | August: also fished | September: peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: off peak |
 Weakfish31 charters · April to May and September to November | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: off peak |
 Bluefish30 charters · April to May and October to November | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: off peak |
 Sailfish27 charters · May to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Snapper26 charters · June to August | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Marlin21 charters · May to August, also September to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: also fished | October: also fished | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Wahoo20 charters · April to May and September to November, also June to August | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: also fished | July: also fished | August: also fished | September: peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: off peak |
 Spanish Mackerel19 charters · April to June and September to October, also July to August | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: also fished | August: also fished | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Striped Bass18 charters · November to April, also May | January: peak | February: peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: also fished | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: peak | December: peak |
 Trout14 charters · March to May and October to November | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: off peak |
 Amberjack13 charters · May to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Largemouth Bass8 charters · March to May and October to November | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: off peak |
 Tripletail5 charters · May to June | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
Shaded months are the typical peak for a charter trip. The outlined column is this month.
South Carolina fishing, month by month
- January
- Striped Bass
- February
- Sheepshead, Black Drum, Striped Bass
- April
- Redfish, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Speckled Trout, Cobia, Mahi-Mahi, King Mackerel, Weakfish, Bluefish, Wahoo, Spanish Mackerel, Striped Bass, Trout, Largemouth Bass
- May
- Redfish, Flounder, Shark, Black Drum, Speckled Trout, Grouper, Black Sea Bass, Cobia, Mahi-Mahi, King Mackerel, Weakfish, Bluefish, Sailfish, Marlin, Wahoo, Spanish Mackerel, Trout, Amberjack, Largemouth Bass, Tripletail
- June
- Flounder, Shark, Grouper, Black Sea Bass, Cobia, Mahi-Mahi, King Mackerel, Sailfish, Snapper, Marlin, Spanish Mackerel, Amberjack, Tripletail
- July
- Flounder, Shark, Tarpon, Grouper, Black Sea Bass, Mahi-Mahi, Sailfish, Snapper, Marlin, Amberjack
- August
- Redfish, Flounder, Shark, Tarpon, Grouper, Black Sea Bass, Mahi-Mahi, Sailfish, Snapper, Marlin, Amberjack
- September
- Redfish, Flounder, Shark, Speckled Trout, Grouper, Black Sea Bass, King Mackerel, Weakfish, Sailfish, Wahoo, Spanish Mackerel, Amberjack
- October
- Redfish, Flounder, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Speckled Trout, Grouper, Black Sea Bass, King Mackerel, Weakfish, Bluefish, Sailfish, Wahoo, Spanish Mackerel, Trout, Largemouth Bass
- November
- Redfish, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Speckled Trout, King Mackerel, Weakfish, Bluefish, Wahoo, Striped Bass, Trout, Largemouth Bass
- December
- Sheepshead, Speckled Trout, Striped Bass
Before you book
- Grouper: Shallow-water grouper is closed January through April in the Atlantic.
- Weakfish: Weakfish stocks are depleted, so the limit is 1 fish.
- Snapper: Red snapper is only open for a few days in summer. Other snappers fish longer.
How this calendar is built
The charter counts are live from the Unreel directory: each one is a South Carolina charter that lists that fish as a target. A fish only appears here if at least three local charters target it.
The shaded months are general peak windows for the South Atlantic coast, not fishing regulations. For ocean species, the spawning, migration and federal closure notes were checked against NOAA Fisheries species profiles, and for inshore and freshwater species against state wildlife agency guidance and rules. Seasons, closures and limits change every year and can differ by water, so check South Carolina's current regulations and ask your captain what is running before you book.