By Captain Jason Webber, USCG-licensed captain, Myrtle Beach Sport Fishing, Murrells Inlet, SC.
Every October we have the same conversation on the dock. Somebody asks whether we are going to get into some gag grouper, and we have to tell them the season closed on the second of August and does not reopen until next May. It is nobody’s fault. South Atlantic bottom-fishing rules are split across NOAA Fisheries, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and SCDNR, they change from year to year, and half the pages a search engine finds are quoting limits from two seasons ago.
The quick answer
Seasons and limits were last checked 4 September 2026. Rules change; confirm on saltwaterfishing.sc.gov before you keep a fish.
| Species | Status this fall | Size and bag (federal waters) |
|---|---|---|
| Black sea bass | Open | 13 in. total length, 7 per person |
| Vermilion snapper | Open | 12 in. total length, 5 per person |
| Gray triggerfish | Open | 12 in. fork length, 10 per person |
| Greater amberjack | Open (closed in April) | Check the current minimum fork length |
| Red grouper, scamp | Open | Part of the 3-grouper aggregate |
| Gag grouper | Closed since 2 August 2026 | Reopens 1 May 2027 |
| Snowy grouper | Closed 1 July to 31 December | |
| Blueline tilefish | Closed 1 September to 31 December | |
| Red porgy | Closed | Keeper window is May and June |
| Red snapper | Closed in federal waters | See the section below |
Black sea bass: open, and the fall staple
The 2026 season runs from 1 April 2026 through 31 March 2027: 7 fish per person at a 13-inch total length. Sea bass hold tight to the wrecks and live bottom from inside 15 miles out to the shelf, they are almost always willing, and they are the backbone of the fall bottom trips.
Gag grouper: closed since 2 August
The 2026 recreational season ran 1 May to 2 August, and the federal closure runs through 30 April 2027. This is the single most common mistake anglers make this time of year. Any gag that comes up goes back, and it goes back with a descending device if it needs one.
What you can still keep in the grouper family
Red grouper and scamp are open, inside the three-grouper aggregate bag. Snowy grouper, the deep-drop fish, is closed from 1 July to 31 December, so the 10-Hour Gulf Stream Deep Drop targets tilefish and the other deep species through the fall.
Vermilion snapper and gray triggerfish: open
Five vermilion per person at 12 inches total length, ten triggerfish per person at 12 inches fork length. Both fill the box between bigger bites on the 8-Hour Offshore Day Charter and the 10-Hour Continental Shelf Charter.
Greater amberjack: open
The only closure is April, during the spawn. Amberjack live on the shelf-edge structure and are the hardest-pulling bottom fish we target. Check the current minimum fork length on eRegulations before you keep one; it has changed before.
Blueline tilefish: closed 1 September to 31 December
Golden tilefish remain the deep-drop target while blueline are closed for the fall.
Red snapper: what is actually happening
Recreational red snapper in South Atlantic federal waters is closed. The exempted fishing permits that would let states run their own seasons were suspended by a federal court injunction in May 2026. SCDNR has submitted a revised proposal to NOAA asking for a South Carolina season in October 2026, reported as roughly one fish per person per day at a 20-inch minimum with a fixed harvest limit and mandatory trip reporting through the VESL app. As we write this it is a proposal, not an approved season.
South Carolina state waters have no closed season for red snapper (two per person, 20-inch minimum), but red snapper off this coast live almost entirely in federal waters, so that is a technicality rather than an opportunity. We will update this page the moment the status changes; dnr.sc.gov/redsnapper is the page to watch.
Descending devices are required
Any vessel fishing for snapper-grouper species in South Atlantic federal waters must have a descending device aboard, rigged and ready, attached to at least a 16-ounce weight and 60 feet of line. Fish brought up from depth suffer barotrauma; a descending device takes them back down to where the pressure lets them recover. We carry them on every offshore trip and we use them.
Which of our trips reaches which bottom
- Inside 15 miles, 30 to 60 feet: the 4-Hour Reef & Wreck Charter for sea bass, sheepshead and the near-shore structure.
- 25 to 55 miles, the deep ledges: the 8-Hour Offshore Day Charter and the 8-Hour Offshore Day Extended for grouper, snapper, triggerfish and amberjack.
- 70 to 100 miles, the outer shelf: the 10-Hour Continental Shelf Charter for the largest grouper and snapper, and the 10-Hour Gulf Stream Deep Drop for tilefish from 400 to 900 feet.
The month-by-month picture is in the October forecast, and every species above has its own entry in our species guide. Call (843) 231-5453 or check live availability.
Frequently asked questions
Is gag grouper season open in South Carolina right now?
No. The 2026 recreational gag season closed on 2 August and the federal closure runs through 30 April 2027. Red grouper and scamp remain open inside the three-grouper aggregate.
Can you keep black sea bass in South Carolina in October?
Yes. The season runs 1 April 2026 through 31 March 2027, 7 fish per person at a 13-inch total length.
Is there a red snapper season in South Carolina in 2026?
Federal waters are closed. SCDNR has proposed an October 2026 state-managed season to NOAA, but as of this page’s last check it is a proposal awaiting federal approval. Check dnr.sc.gov/redsnapper for the current status.
Do you need a descending device to bottom fish in South Carolina?
Yes, in federal waters. A descending device attached to at least a 16-ounce weight and 60 feet of line must be aboard and ready on any vessel fishing for snapper-grouper species.