Our Shark Fishing Night Charter leaves the dock in the late afternoon, fishes through sunset, and stays out into the dark, when South Carolina’s coastal sharks feed hardest. Same water as the day trip, up to 12 miles off Murrells Inlet, completely different experience: the sunset, the Myrtle Beach skyline glowing on the horizon, and a rod doubling over in the dark. $1,500 to $2,000, up to 6 anglers.
You’ll leave the dock with the sun still up, run to nearshore structure and open water inside 12 miles, and get the chum slick working while the light fades. Sharks hunt by smell and vibration, and after dark the slick does its best work of the day.
Most trips mix:
A shark run in the dark is a different animal than the same fight at noon. You hear the drag before you see anything, and that sound is why people book this trip twice.
Trips run spring through fall, weather permitting.
What to bring: Food, non-glass drinks, sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, and soft-soled shoes. Closed-toe shoes are strongly recommended; things get lively on deck.
The workhorse of the South Carolina shark charter. Blacktips are fast, aggressive, and powerful coastal sharks that show up in numbers from spring through fall. They’re best known for what they do at the end of a fight — spinning and jumping clear of the water in a display that is every bit as exciting as it sounds. Most fish run 3 to 6 feet and are strong enough to test any angler on the boat.
Named for their yellow-brown color, lemon sharks are strong, stubborn fighters that hold in nearshore and coastal water through the warmer months. They run big, pull hard, and make for an unforgettable fight before release.
Bull sharks are the bruisers of the inshore and nearshore zone, thick-bodied, powerful, and built for a slugging match. They are one of the most exciting sharks we target, and every fish is fought and released with care.
The apex predator of the near-shore Atlantic. Tiger sharks are large, powerful, and completely indifferent to the fact that you’d like them to stop running. They patrol South Carolina coastal waters and occasionally show up looking for an easy meal — which turns into the hardest fight of the day. A tiger encounter is never guaranteed, but when it happens, nobody forgets it.
Same water, same species, different bite. The night trip fishes the sunset and after-dark feeding window when sharks are most active, and adds the skyline and sunset to the experience. The day trip is the better pick for younger kids; the night trip is the one the adults talk about. (Link day trip to its page.)
Often, yes. Sharks are naturally more active feeders in low light and after dark, and the evening trip regularly produces the most aggressive bite of the day. It is also cooler on deck and the sunset is free.
The most common catches are blacktip and Atlantic sharpnose sharks, which are reliably present in South Carolina near-shore waters through most of the year. Hammerheads and tiger sharks are bonus encounters during the warmer months. Mako sharks are an occasional offshore surprise when conditions are right.
Yes. Your captain and mate are experienced in handling sharks at boatside and have the equipment to do it correctly. Guests are coached on positioning, when to step back, and how to fight the fish properly. Listen to the mate and you’ll have the time of your life.
None at all. The mates walk every guest through the process from the moment the rod bends. That said — be ready. A shark bite doesn’t give you much warning, and the first run will surprise even anglers who think they know what to expect.
The 4 hour Shark Fishing Night Charter is $1,500 to $2,000 for up to 6 anglers, including the captain and mate, all heavy tackle and bait, license coverage, and coolers and ice.