Pawleys Island Pier
Arrogantly shabby since 1726
- Pawleys Island, SC 29585
- Free (beach access)
Surf fishing only, no standing pier
Set by the pier
House rules at Pawleys Island Pier
These are the pier's own policies. They are enforced by pier staff, they vary from pier to pier, and breaking one gets you asked to leave — it is not a legal matter.
Pier policy
- SC saltwater fishing license required
- Respect private property. Use public beach access points
- No vehicles on the beach
- Leave no trace
Fishing pass
Free (beach access)
Rod rental
N/A, bring your own
Fishing license
Bring your own SC saltwater license
Set by the state
South Carolina size and bag limits
This is law, not pier policy. It applies whether you are on this pier, the beach or a boat, and SCDNR enforces it with citations. Where the two differ, follow whichever is stricter.
saltwater
| Species | Size limit | Bag limit | Closed season | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red DrumSciaenops ocellatus | 15–23 TL | 2 per person · 6 per boat | No gig harvest Dec 1 – Feb 28 | Slot limit: 15–23" TL • Possession prohibited in federal waters • Rod & reel and gig onlySCDNR |
| FlounderParalichthys spp. | 16 TL min | 5 per person · 10 per boat | Open year-round | Includes Southern, Summer & Gulf Flounder • Hook and line or gigSCDNR |
| Spotted SeatroutCynoscion nebulosus | 14 TL min | 10 per person | No gig harvest Dec 1 – Feb 28 | Rod & reel and gig onlySCDNR |
| Black DrumPogonias cromis | 14–27 TL | 5 per person | Open year-round | Slot limit: 14–27" TLSCDNR |
| SheepsheadArchosargus probatocephalus | 14 TL min | 10 per person · 30 per boat | Open year-round | —SCDNR |
| Spanish MackerelScomberomorus maculatus | 12 FL min | 15 per person | Open year-round | Must land with head and fins intactSCDNR |
| King MackerelScomberomorus cavalla | 24 FL min | 3 per person | Open year-round | Must land with head and fins intactSCDNR |
| CobiaRachycentron canadum | 36 FL min | 1 per person · 6 per boat | May 1–31 south of Jeremy Inlet (032° 31.0’N) | Vessel limit: 3/boat south of 032° 31.0’N, 6/boat north + federal • Rod & reel and gig only in state watersSCDNR |
| BluefishPomatomus saltatrix | No size limit | 5 per person · 7 for-hire | Open year-round | No size limit • For-hire vessels: 7 per personSCDNR |
| PompanoTrachinotus carolinus | No size limit | No bag limit | Open year-round | No size or bag limit in SCSCDNR |
| WeakfishCynoscion regalis | 12 TL min | 1 per person | Open year-round | —SCDNR |
| WhitingMenticirrhus spp. | No size limit | 50 per person | Open year-round | 50/day aggregate with Atlantic Croaker and Spot • Hook and line onlySCDNR |
| Atlantic CroakerMicropogonias undulatus | No size limit | 50 per person | Open year-round | 50/day aggregate with Spot and Whiting • Hook and line onlySCDNR |
| SpotLeiostomus xanthurus | No size limit | 50 per person | Open year-round | 50/day aggregate with Atlantic Croaker and Whiting • Hook and line onlySCDNR |
Confirm before you keep a fish
Limits change, sometimes mid-season and sometimes by emergency order. The table above is a convenience copy of what SCDNR published, not the regulation itself. Check the current SCDNR saltwater regulations, or ask the pier house, before you put anything on ice. If you are unsure what you have caught, release it.
Planning to cook it? The recipes for this pier cover most of what comes off the deck here.