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Fish guide

Spinner Shark

Carcharhinus brevipinna. Also called Spinner.

A slender spinner shark with a long pointed snout and black-tipped fins

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: 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. Florida Museum: spinners move inshore in spring and summer. SCDNR sees them in estuaries less often than blacktips. (Our inference)

Where to find them

Past the breakers along the beach where bait schools are working.

Past the breakers; leaps and spins chasing schooling fish.

What to look for

Long pointed snout, small eyes; on fish over 2 ft the anal fin is black-tipped (a blacktip's anal fin is white).

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

  • Calling it a blacktip: check the black-tipped anal fin
  • Keeping fights long
  • 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: Up to 8 ft. SC record 173 lb 5 oz (Edisto, 2021).

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

Spinner Shark: season, lures and limits | FishOS