Weakfish: season, lures and limits

Showing the fish for Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand, SC.

Fishing region

Season in Myrtle Beach

JFMAMJJASOND

SCDNR: present year-round, most abundant April to November, schools form as water cools in fall. Local: scattered on piers in fall, in the south-Strand surf in October. (Our inference)

Season by region

Myrtle Beach	JFMAMJJASOND
Long Island	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
Northeast Florida	JFMAMJJASOND

Where to find them

Pier lights at night, inlets, deeper holes.

Mid-water, around piers and inlets.

What to look for

Bait under lights, swirls at the edge of the light.

What to throw

Bucktail or jighead with a 4 to 5 in paddle tail1/2 to 1 oz, 4 to 5 in tail. Slow hops along the bottom: lift, drop, let it touch, repeat.

Jighead with a scented soft-plastic shrimp or mullet (Gulp style)1/4 to 1/2 oz, 3 to 4 in. Slow drag and hop on the bottom with pauses; scent does the work.

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.

Swimming minnow plug (Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow style)3/4 to 1 oz, 4 to 5 in. Steady medium retrieve with occasional twitches and pauses.

Bait

Shrimp, Cut bait. Light bottom rig or float.

Leader

20 lb fluorocarbon.

Common mistakes

Pulling hooks: very soft mouth

Landing

Gentle, steady pressure.

Handling

Canine teeth

Use pliers.

Keep or release

12 in minimum, only 1 per person per day.

Recipes for weakfish

Typical: About 13 in, 1 lb. Large: 5 lb and up. SC record 11 lb 13 oz (1981).

South Carolina limits

Minimum: 12 in TL
Maximum: none
Bag: 1 per person per day
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

SCDNR species profile: weakfish (Official source)
Gregg Holshouser Grand Strand fishing reports, 2019-2020 (mirror) (Angler knowledge)
SCDNR Saltwater Fishing Trends (pier operator forecasts) (Angler knowledge)
FishBase species summary: Cynoscion regalis (weakfish) (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

Weakfish