Regulations - Species Limits, Possession, Size
American shad
Regulations
Possession Limit: 10 shad per person per day
Size limit: No statewide length limits
Exceptions to the limits above:
- Santee River 20 person per day
Other Restrictions:
- It is unlawful to take American shad and herring using the following nongame fishing devices: archery equipment, crayfish trap, eel pot, elver fyke net, gig, hand grabbing, hoop net, jug fishing device, minnow seine, minnow trap, pump net, seine, set hook, spear, trap or trotline.
- Recreational (unlawful to sell catch)
- To take shad for recreational purposes by hook and line, cast net (for bait), or skim bow net in freshwaters a person MUST have a recreational freshwater fishing license.
- To take shad for recreational purposes using a shad gill net, a person MUST have a recreational fishing license, gear license, and related permits.
- Only one shad gill net may be fished by occupants of a boat, and if drifted, it must be attended at all times when deployed. Additional boats in tow may not be used to increase the number of authorized nets. Must adhere to legal commercial fishing areas and the recreational limit.
- Commercial (selling one's catch)
- MUST use a shad gill net; not to be confused with the nongame gill nets.
- Shad Gill Net: A gill net used for taking or attempting to take shad in the inshore salt waters must have a stretched mesh size of no smaller than five and one-half inches and a length not exceeding nine hundred feet. A gill net used for shad in the freshwaters must have a stretched mesh size of no smaller than five and one-half inches and be no longer than six hundred feet. Gill nets for taking shad may be freely drift fished or set.
- To take shad for commercial purposes using a shad gill net, a person MUST have a commercial fishing license, gear license, and related permits.
- MUST use a shad gill net; not to be confused with the nongame gill nets.
- License Requirements
- If fishing in the freshwaters of the state, a person needs either a recreational or commercial freshwater fishing license. If fishing in the saltwaters of the state, a person needs a either a recreational or a commercial saltwater fishing license. If fishing in both fresh and saltwaters, a person MUST have both freshwater and saltwater fishing licenses—either recreational or commercial.