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Fish guide

Blacktip Shark

Carcharhinus limbatus. Also called Blacktip.

A blacktip shark with black-tipped fins swimming over sand in clear surf water

Not a target here: shore and pier shark fishing is banned by Horry County Code Sec. 5-11, Myrtle Beach Code Sec. 5-5 and the Surfside Beach town code (source: Horry County Code of Ordinances Sec. 5-11, Fishing from shore or pier (Ord. No. 27-11, 2011), eLaws code library). Release any shark caught by accident.

Season

Peak months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug.

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SCDNR MRRI: SC coastal sharks arrive in the estuaries in spring when water reaches 19-20 C (66-68 F) and start moving offshore in fall when it drops below 26 C (79 F). Months placed on NWS Springmaid Pier average water temperatures. Blacktips leave Bulls Bay, SC in October when the water drops below 21 C (70 F) and reach North Carolina in May to June (PLOS ONE 2016). (Our inference)

Where to find them

Just past the breakers along the beach and around inlets, often where bait schools are being pushed.

Just past the breakers; fast and sometimes leaps and spins chasing bait schools.

What to look for

Black tips on the pectoral fins, first dorsal and lower tail lobe; white anal fin; no ridge between the dorsal fins (a ridge means it may be a prohibited sandbar).

Bait

Fresh cut mullet, Cut menhaden (bunker), Cut bluefish or other oily fish. Fish-finder rig cast just past the breakers: steel leader, non-offset, non-stainless circle hook (required in SC with natural bait), 50 to 80 lb braid on a 10 to 15 ft surf rod.

Leader

Steel leader; 8/0 to 12/0 non-offset circle hook.

Common mistakes

  • Confusing a sandbar shark (prohibited) with a blacktip: check for the ridge between the dorsal fins
  • Fighting the fish to exhaustion; keep fights short
  • Dragging the shark up the dry sand

Landing

Lead it into the shallow wash and keep it in the water there. Do not drag it up the dry sand or lift it by the tail.

Handling

  • Teeth
  • Abrasive skin
  • Sudden thrashing

Keep it in the water: do not drag it up the beach and keep hands away from the mouth and gills. If the hook is deep or you would have to reach near the mouth, cut the leader as close to the hook as you can; carry a cutter that can cut the leader or hook. Prohibited sharks (sandbar, sand tiger, dusky and others) must be released without removing them from the water; treat any shark you cannot identify as prohibited.

Keep or release

Where shore shark fishing is legal: SC minimum 54 in fork length and 1 shark per vessel per trip for this group, so nearly every shark from the beach is released. Banned from shore on the Horry County coast.

Typical: 3 to 5 ft. Large: Over 6 ft. SC record 163 lb 14 oz (Hilton Head, 2009).

South Carolina limits

  • Minimum: 54 in FL
  • Maximum: none
  • Bag: 1 shark per vessel per trip (the limit SC publishes for its blacktip, bull, finetooth, spinner and other large coastal group)
  • Season: No closed season listed
  • Rod and reel or handline only
  • Non-offset, non-stainless circle hooks required with natural bait (not with flies or artificial lures)
  • Land with head, tail and fins naturally attached
  • Federal waters (past 3 miles) need a federal HMS permit with a shark endorsement
  • Check local rules: many beach towns ban shore shark fishing
  • Sandbar sharks look like blacktips and bull sharks and are prohibited: if unsure, release it in the water

Last checked 2026-10-11. A summary, not legal advice; the official rules win. SC DNR fishing regulations.

Sources

All the fish

Blacktip Shark: season, lures and limits | FishOS