Bluefish

Season

Peak months: Apr, May, Oct, Nov.

NC Sea Grant: abundant off SC by March-April, largely gone in winter. Local reports: blues expected at piers around March 20 at 59-60 F; fall roaming blues. Weak chart: April-June and October best. (Our inference)

Where to find them

Following bait along the beach; points where the bar breaks and cuts that funnel bait.

Anywhere from the wash to well beyond the bar; blitzes drive bait into the trough.

What to look for

Birds working hard over bait, bait spraying, heavy splashes and oily slicks.

What to throw

Metal casting jig (diamond, Hopkins or Stingsilver style)1 to 2 oz, 3 to 4 in. Fast steady retrieve for mackerel; let it sink and rip it up for blues; jig near bottom for weakfish.

Got-Cha style jig plug7/8 to 1 oz, 3 to 3.5 in. Sharp upward rod-tip jerks while reeling fast, so it darts and flashes.

Silver casting spoon (Clarkspoon or Drone style)1/2 to 1 oz, No. 0 to 1 / 2.5 to 3.5 in. Burn it. Fast, steady, just under the surface.

Topwater popper or walk-the-dog plug1 to 2 oz, 4 to 6 in. Popper: sharp pops with pauses. Walker: rhythmic side-to-side twitches.

Bait

Cut mullet, Cut menhaden. Float or fish-finder rig with a short wire leader.

Leader

Short single-strand wire (#4 to #5, 6 to 12 in) or a 50 to 60 lb mono bite tippet.

Common mistakes

• No bite protection on the leader
• Reaching into the mouth to unhook
• Slow retrieves when fish are blitzing

Landing

Keep pressure on and use a wave to beach it. Do not lift by the leader near your hands.

Handling and safety

• Razor teeth; will snap after it is landed

Pin the fish with a towel or your foot on the sand side, unhook with long pliers, never put fingers near the mouth.

Keep or release

Best eaten fresh, bled and iced immediately. 5 per person per day, no size limit.

Recipes for bluefish

Typical: 1 to 3 lb. Large: 8 to 16 lb (spring); a 16 lb fish was reported at Pawleys in March.

South Carolina limits

• Minimum: none
• Maximum: none
• Bag: 5 per person per day (7 on for-hire vessels)
• Season: Open year-round

Last checked 2026-10-07. A summary, not legal advice; the official rules win. SC DNR fishing regulations.

Sources

• NC Sea Grant Coastwatch: surf fishing species notes (2008) (Official source)
• Gregg Holshouser Grand Strand fishing reports, 2019-2020 (mirror) (Angler knowledge)
• Captain Experiences North Myrtle Beach seasonality chart (method not disclosed, weak) (Angler knowledge)
• NOAA NEFSC essential fish habitat: bluefish (Stehlik) (Official source)
• SC finfish size and catch limits 2026-2027 (eRegulations, linked from SCDNR), last updated Aug 11, 2026 (Official source)

All the fish of Myrtle Beach