Fish guide
Croaker
Micropogonias undulatus.
Showing the fish for Charleston and the Lowcountry, SC.
Season in Charleston
Peak months: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
SCDNR statewide: present year-round, older fish overwinter offshore. SCDNR October forecast: croaker feeding in the Edisto surf. (Our inference)
Season by region
| Myrtle Beach | JFMAMJJASOND |
|---|---|
| North Jersey | JFMAMJJASOND |
| South Jersey | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Delmarva | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Virginia Beach | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Outer Banks | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Southern NC | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Charleston | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Georgia | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Northeast Florida | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Space Coast | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Big Bend | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Panhandle | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Alabama | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Mississippi | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Louisiana | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Upper Texas | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Middle Texas | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Lower Texas | JFMAMJJASOND |
Where to find them
Piers and troughs, warm months.
Bottom.
What to look for
Evening tides.
Bait
Shrimp, Bloodworms, Squid strips. Double-drop, #2 to 1/0 hooks, 2 to 3 oz.
Leader
20 lb.
Landing
Simple.
Handling
- Sharp gill-cover and dorsal spines
Grip from behind, fold the dorsal down.
Keep or release
No size limit; within the 50-fish aggregate.
Typical: About 9 in, 0.5 lb. Large: 2 lb and up. SC record 4 lb 9 oz (1979).
South Carolina limits
- Minimum: none
- Maximum: none
- Bag: 50 per person per day combined (Atlantic croaker + spot + whiting)
- Season: Open year-round
- Hook and line only
- Whiting means all kingfish (Menticirrhus spp.): southern, Gulf and northern kingfish
Last checked 2026-10-11. A summary, not legal advice; the official rules win. SC Department of Natural Resources fishing regulations.
Sources
- SCDNR species profile: Atlantic croaker (Official source)
- SCDNR Saltwater Fishing Trends (pier operator forecasts) (Angler knowledge)
- NC Division of Marine Fisheries species profile: Atlantic Croaker (citing Miglarese et al. 1982) (Official source)
- Fisherman's Post North Myrtle Beach / Little River reports 2025-2026 (Angler knowledge)
- SC finfish size and catch limits 2026-2027 (eRegulations, linked from SCDNR), last updated Aug 11, 2026 (Official source)
- SC Code of Laws Title 50 Chapter 5 (Sec. 50-5-1705 catch limits incl. whiting = Menticirrhus spp., spadefish; black sea bass limit provision) (Official source)
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