Fish of Myrtle Beach
Sharks (incidental only)
Atlantic sharpnose, bonnethead, blacktip, spinner and others.
Land-based shark fishing is prohibited in Horry County, Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach, and North Myrtle Beach bans it within 1 mile. FISH never ranks sharks as a target. Release any shark you hook by accident.
Handling and safety
- Teeth
- Abrasive skin
- Sudden thrashing
Keep it in the water. Do not drag it up the beach. If the hook is deep, or you would have to put a hand near the mouth, cut the leader as close to the hook as you safely can and let it go. A lure is never worth a bite. Sand tiger and sandbar sharks are prohibited species and must be released without removing them from the water.
Keep or release
Release. Shore-based shark fishing is locally prohibited.
South Carolina limits
- Minimum: Varies: large coastal 54 in FL; hammerheads 78 in FL; sharpnose and bonnethead no minimum
- Maximum: none
- Bag: Sharpnose 1 and bonnethead 1 per person per day; large coastal 1 per vessel per trip
- Season: See official page
- LOCAL: land-based shark fishing prohibited in Horry County, Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach; North Myrtle Beach bans it within 1 mile
- Prohibited species (sand tiger, sandbar, dusky and others) must be released without removing from the water
- Non-stainless, non-offset circle hooks required with natural bait
Last checked 2026-10-07. A summary, not legal advice; the official rules win. SC DNR fishing regulations.
Sources
- Captain Experiences North Myrtle Beach seasonality chart (method not disclosed, weak) (Angler knowledge)
- SC shark size and catch limits (eRegulations), last updated Aug 5, 2026 (Official source)
- News: Murrells Inlet angler challenging Horry County shore shark ban (2025); describes the county, Myrtle Beach, Surfside and North Myrtle Beach ordinances (Angler knowledge)