South Carolina’s fishing regulations vary more than most anglers realize — a bass limit that applies on one lake may not apply on the next, and striped bass rules change by river system and season. This guide summarizes the statewide basics and the most important exceptions for Lexington anglers fishing Lake Murray and nearby SC Midlands waters. It is a summary only; always confirm current rules against SCDNR’s official rulebook at dnr.sc.gov/regs/fish.html before you fish, since regulations can change and specific water bodies often carry unique exceptions.
Freshwater bag and size limits
Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, redeye, spotted)
South Carolina’s statewide default allows up to 10 black bass combined per day with no minimum size limit on most waters. However, several major reservoirs carry stricter local rules: Lakes Marion, Moultrie, and the upper Santee River require a 14-inch minimum with a 5-fish daily limit, while Lake Wylie and the Georgia waters of the Savannah River require a 12-inch minimum. Always check the specific rules for the water you’re fishing — including Lake Murray — before keeping bass, since local exceptions are common. Full details are on SCDNR’s largemouth bass regulations page.
Striped bass and hybrids
Striped bass rules are among the most water-specific in South Carolina. The statewide default allows up to 10 fish per day, but the Saluda River between Lake Greenwood Dam and Lake Murray Dam is limited to 5 fish per day with a 21-inch minimum (with a July-August exception allowing two smaller fish). Many coastal river systems close striped bass harvest entirely from June through September to protect spawning fish, reopening October through May with a 26-inch minimum and 3-fish limit. Lake Russell allows just 2 fish per day, only one over 34 inches. Because these rules vary significantly by water body, verify the exact limit for Lake Murray on SCDNR’s striped bass page before keeping fish.
Crappie, bream, and panfish
Crappie, bluegill, redear (shellcracker), flier, redbreast, warmouth, and several other panfish species share a combined statewide limit of 30 fish per day on most waters. Lake Murray carries a specific exception for crappie: a 20-fish daily limit with an 8-inch minimum size. Because panfish rules can differ by lake, check current limits for Lake Murray before a trip.
Trout
South Carolina’s stocked trout waters, mostly in the Upstate, allow up to 10 trout per day statewide, but numerous individual streams carry stricter limits — some as low as catch-and-release only, others limited to 5, 7, or 8 fish per day. The Lower Saluda River between Lake Murray Dam and the Broad River confluence is limited to 5 trout per day, with only one fish allowed over 16 inches. Because trout limits vary stream by stream, check the specific water before keeping fish, especially in the SC Midlands area.
Catfish
Channel and flathead catfish carry no statewide bag or size limits in South Carolina, and blue catfish are similarly unrestricted on most waters — with one notable exception. On Lakes Marion and Moultrie, anglers may keep no more than one blue catfish over 36 inches per day. This rule was adopted to protect the reservoirs’ trophy-class blue catfish population, so if Lake Murray or Saluda River falls within that system, plan your catfish trip accordingly.
White bass, white perch, and other species
White bass are grouped with the panfish category described above under the statewide 30-fish combined limit. Species not specifically listed in SCDNR’s regulations generally fall under general possession limit rules; if you’re unsure whether a species you’ve caught carries a specific limit, the safest approach is to check the official rulebook or contact SCDNR directly.
Saltwater basics
Saltwater fishing in South Carolina requires a separate saltwater recreational fishing license in addition to (or instead of) a freshwater license, and carries its own set of size and bag limits:
- Red drum (redfish): As of a 2026 regulation update, red drum are managed under a new 18-25 inch slot limit with a 1-fish daily bag limit and 2-fish vessel limit — tighter than the previous 15-23 inch slot and 2-fish bag. Always confirm the current slot and bag limit before keeping a red drum, since this rule has changed multiple times in recent years. Details are on SC’s saltwater fishing regulations page.
- Spotted seatrout: 14-inch minimum size, 10 fish per person per day, with gigging prohibited from December through February.
- Flounder: 16-inch minimum size, 5 fish per person per day.
- Sheepshead: Commonly cited at a 14-inch minimum with a 10-fish daily limit on most South Carolina coastal reports; confirm current specifics on the official saltwater regulations page before keeping fish.
Saltwater rules are subject to legislative and regulatory changes more often than freshwater rules, so treat the figures above as a starting point and always verify against saltwaterfishing.sc.gov or the official SCDNR rulebook before a trip.
Free fishing days and Sunday fishing
South Carolina designates specific days each year — currently including Memorial Day and July 4th — when residents may fish freshwater without a license, under S.C. Code Section 50-9-730. All other regulations, including size and bag limits, still apply on these days. Sunday fishing is legal on South Carolina’s public waters; there is no blue law restricting recreational angling on Sundays statewide.
Closed-harvest and protected species
Some South Carolina fish species may not be harvested at all and must be released immediately if caught. These include the Robust Redhorse and Shortnose Sturgeon, both protected due to conservation concerns. If you catch either species, release it promptly and handle it as little as possible to maximize survival.
Invasive and introduced species: blueback herring
Blueback herring are not native to many South Carolina reservoirs where they now support striped bass fisheries. SCDNR permits their use as bait or harvest only in waters where they are already established — anglers should never transport live herring (or other baitfish) between water bodies, since introducing them to a new lake can seriously disrupt that lake’s existing fish community. Check current rules for Lake Murray and Saluda River before using or moving baitfish.
Lexington anglers should especially know
If you fish Lake Murray regularly, it’s worth bookmarking the specific regulations for that water rather than relying on general statewide defaults — bass, striper, and panfish rules on Lake Murray may differ meaningfully from the statewide baseline described above. Before keeping any Lake Murray catch that’s close to a size limit, or before targeting striped bass during a seasonal closure window, double-check current rules on SCDNR’s site. Anglers fishing both Lake Murray and Saluda River in the same outing should also confirm whether the two waters carry different rules for the same species, since crossing from one lake or river system to another can change what’s legal to keep.
This is a summary, not the rulebook
Regulations described here reflect general statewide rules and commonly cited exceptions, but South Carolina’s fishing code includes many additional water-specific rules not covered in this overview. Before keeping any catch, confirm current bag limits, size limits, and season dates against the official SCDNR rulebook at dnr.sc.gov/regs/fish.html, and check dnr.sc.gov for regulation updates before every trip.
