Fishing in
South Carolina
6,525 named waters · 7 stocked in the last 30 days
The Santee Cooper lakes, Marion and Moultrie, are where landlocked striped bass fishing effectively began in America, after ocean-run stripers got trapped behind dams in the 1940s and adapted to complete their whole life cycle in freshwater. Lake Murray near Columbia adds another strong striper and largemouth bass fishery to a state that helped invent an entire category of freshwater fishing.
South Carolina holds 6,525 fishable waters on the books. SCDNR has logged 23 stockings in the last year, led by trout. The biggest water in the state is Lake Marion at 91,472 acres.
Loading the map…
What you'll catch here
- Trout7 waters
Freshest stockings
Full report →- South Saluda RiverTroutJul 30, 2026
- Chattooga RiverTroutJul 29, 2026
- South Saluda RiverTroutJul 23, 2026
- East Fork Chattooga RiverTroutJul 23, 2026
- Brasstown CreekTroutJul 23, 2026
Most-stocked waters, last 12 months
- South Saluda River4× stocked
- Chattooga River3× stocked
- Foster Park Lake2× stocked
- Middle Saluda River2× stocked
- North Saluda River2× stocked
- East Fork Chattooga River2× stocked
- Brasstown Creek1× stocked
- Chauga River1× stocked
Biggest waters
- Lake Marion91,472 ac
- Lake Moultrie56,828 ac
- Lake Murray48,761 ac
- Lake Keowee16,883 ac
- Wateree Lake11,756 ac
- Lake Greenwood10,363 ac
- Lake Jocassee7,703 ac
- Monticello Reservoir6,660 ac
Major rivers
- South Santee Riverorder 9 · ~18,357 cfs
- Santee Riverorder 9 · ~18,227 cfs
- Great Pee Dee Riverorder 9 · ~16,797 cfs
- North Santee Riverorder 9 · ~88 cfs
- Bull Creekorder 9 · ~22 cfs
- Thoroughfare Creekorder 9 · ~13 cfs
- Cooter Creekorder 9 · ~7 cfs
- Sixmile Creekorder 9 · ~3 cfs
Waters by county
All counties →Horry (417) · Charleston (289) · Berkeley (284) · Aiken (273) · Oconee (258) · Lexington (247) · Richland (233) · Spartanburg (227) · Greenville (225) · Georgetown (221) · Chesterfield (202) · Kershaw (178) · Clarendon (161) · Orangeburg (160) · Marion (154) · Sumter (147) · Calhoun (146) · Florence (146) · Williamsburg (144) · Pickens (144) · Beaufort (137) · Anderson (120) · Colleton (118) · York (112) · Edgefield (109) · Jasper (109) · Laurens (108) · Lancaster (96) · Cherokee (95) · Union (91)
Seasons, limits, and rules are South Carolina's call — read the official regulations and buy your license from the state, not a middleman. We link the source; we never restate the rules.
Explore nearby states
South Carolina fishing — FAQ
Where does South Carolina stock fish?+
SCDNR logged 23 stockings across South Carolina in the last year, led by trout. Browse the map and most-stocked waters above for exact locations.
How often does South Carolina stock fish?+
South Carolina's agency publishes stocking updates that we check daily. Follow any water to track its stocking schedule.
Do I need a license to fish in South Carolina?+
Yes — South Carolina requires a fishing license for most anglers. Buy one from the state agency and check current seasons and limits before you go.
How many fishable waters are in South Carolina?+
South Carolina has 6,525 named fishable waters mapped on FishableWaters, from stocked reservoirs to wild streams.