Bluefish: season, lures and limits

Showing the fish for Charleston and the Lowcountry, SC.

Fishing region

Season in Charleston

Peak months: Apr, May, Oct, Nov.

JFMAMJJASOND

Grand Strand pattern carried south: abundant off SC by March to April, largely gone in winter (NC Sea Grant). SCDNR October forecast lists bluefish at Folly Beach Pier and in the Edisto surf. (Our inference)

Season by region

Myrtle Beach	JFMAMJJASOND
Long Island	JFMAMJJASOND
Maine	JFMAMJJASOND
New Hampshire	JFMAMJJASOND
North Shore MA	JFMAMJJASOND
Cape Cod	JFMAMJJASOND
Rhode Island	JFMAMJJASOND
Connecticut	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
Southeast Florida	JFMAMJJASOND
Southwest Florida	JFMAMJJASOND
Big Bend	JFMAMJJASOND
Panhandle	JFMAMJJASOND
Alabama	JFMAMJJASOND
Louisiana	JFMAMJJASOND
Lower Texas	JFMAMJJASOND

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.

Pencil popper1 to 5 oz, Sized to the bait, from silversides to adult bunker. Slow and deliberate, speeding up when a fish shows interest; or hold the rod tip and bounce it hard while barely advancing the plug so it churns in place.

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.

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

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 2026-10-11. A summary, not legal advice; the official rules win. SC Department of Natural Resources fishing regulations.

Sources

NC Sea Grant Coastwatch: surf fishing species notes (2008) (Official source)
SCDNR Saltwater Fishing Trends (pier operator forecasts) (Angler knowledge)
NOAA NEFSC essential fish habitat: bluefish (Stehlik) (Official source)
Gregg Holshouser Grand Strand fishing reports, 2019-2020 (mirror) (Angler knowledge)
SC finfish size and catch limits 2026-2027 (eRegulations, linked from SCDNR), last updated Aug 11, 2026 (Official source)

All the fish of Charleston

Bluefish