Game Freshwater Fishing Regulations

Methods & Devices

Game fish may be caught with only hook and line, pole, artificial pole, or rod and reel. A fisherman only may use four of these game fishing devices at the same time, except when fishing in a boat. A fisherman fishing from a boat may use an unlimited number of lawful game fishing devices if all persons in the boat sixteen years and older have valid fishing licenses.
Cast nets for catching nongame bait fish may be in possession while fishing for game fish.
No game fish may be used as bait to catch fish recreationally except for bream (other than redbreast). Trout may be used as bait only on Lakes Hartwell, Russell, Thurmond, Tugaloo, Yonah, Stevens Creek Reservoir and the Savannah River. When using game fish as bait to catch fish recreationally they must be included in the daily creel limit.

No closed freshwater game fish season except in the following areas:

Striped Bass have exceptions.
All watercraft and fishing are prohibited Nov. 1 through Feb. 28 on Cantey Bay, Black Bottom and Savannah Branch in Lake Marion.
Hatchery WMA on Lake Moultrie is closed to fishing each Saturday until 12:00 noon and all day the last Saturday of the waterfowl season.
Potato Creek Hatchery Waterfowl Area is closed to public access and fishing one week prior to and two weeks after the Federal Waterfowl Season.
Rediversion Canal has exceptions. See Fish Sanctuaries.

Game or nongame fish may not be taken by explosives, electrical devices, poison or similar means.

A total of 40 game fish may be kept in any one day. This total shall not exceed more than the limits or exceptions listed below:
- Except as otherwise provided, the daily possession limit for game fish is an aggregate of forty of which:
  - not more than five may be largemouth, redeye (coosae), or smallmouth bass or their hybrids or any combination;
  - not more than fifteen may be spotted bass;
  - not more than ten may be hybrid bass or striped bass or a combination;
  - not more than ten may be white bass;
  - not more than eight may be walleye or sauger or a combination;
  - not more than five may be trout, except on Lake Jocassee not more than three trout may be taken;
  - not more than twenty may be crappie;
  - not more than fifteen may be redbreast; and
  - not more than thirty may be other freshwater game fish species not listed above.
- On Lakes Hartwell, Keowee, Russell, (including the Lake Hartwell tail water), Thurmond, Tugaloo, Yonah, the Chattooga and Savannah Rivers and Stevens Creek Reservoir the daily possession limit for black bass is an aggregate of ten.
Special limits and regulations apply to SCDNR managed lakes.
Check with state parks, city reservoirs or county parks for special limits and regulations that apply to those areas.

No freshwater game fish may be sold in this state except by a SCDNR permitted aquaculturist, a SCDNR wholesale aquaculture licensee, a SCDNR aquaculture game fish retail licensee.
It is illegal to possess, import or sell any fish species that is not native to SC waters without a SCDNR permit.
Sterile grass carp may only be sold, purchased or possessed under a SCDNR permit.