Tripletails (Lobotidae)
Tripletail
Lobotes surinamensis
About the tripletail
Tripletail are one of the tastiest fish in the ocean and they're regularly caught around Grand Strand pier pilings. They float on their sides near the surface, mimicking dead leaves or debris, waiting to ambush prey. Once you learn to spot them, you'll find them hanging around pilings and channel markers all summer.
- premium eating
- sight fishing
- pier pilings
- summer
- surface
Where to find them
Piers that report tripletail
Season, bait and average size as reported for each pier.
- Months
- May–Sep
- Best bait
- Live shrimp, small live fish
- Average size
- 14–24 in
- Pier record
- 42 lbs
Float sideways near pilings mimicking debris. Premium eating, often compared to grouper.
Pier 14
Slow- Months
- May–Sep
- Best bait
- Live shrimp, small live fish
- Average size
- 14–24 in
- Pier record
- 42 lbs
Float sideways near pilings mimicking debris. Premium eating, often compared to grouper.
Apache Pier
Slow- Months
- May–Sep
- Best bait
- Live shrimp, small live fish
- Average size
- 14–24 in
- Pier record
- 42 lbs
Float sideways near pilings mimicking debris. Premium eating, often compared to grouper.
Springmaid Pier
Slow- Months
- May–Sep
- Best bait
- Live shrimp, small live fish
- Average size
- 14–24 in
- Pier record
- 42 lbs
Float sideways near pilings mimicking debris. Premium eating, often compared to grouper.
- Months
- May–Sep
- Best bait
- Live shrimp, small live fish
- Average size
- 14–24 in
- Pier record
- 42 lbs
Float sideways near pilings mimicking debris. Premium eating, often compared to grouper.
- Months
- May–Sep
- Best bait
- Live shrimp, small live fish
- Average size
- 14–24 in
- Pier record
- 42 lbs
Float sideways near pilings mimicking debris. Premium eating, often compared to grouper.
Garden City Pier
Slow- Months
- May–Sep
- Best bait
- Live shrimp, small live fish
- Average size
- 14–24 in
- Pier record
- 42 lbs
Float sideways near pilings mimicking debris. Premium eating, often compared to grouper.
Surfside Pier
Slow- Months
- May–Sep
- Best bait
- Live shrimp, small live fish
- Average size
- 14–24 in
- Pier record
- 42 lbs
Float sideways near pilings mimicking debris. Premium eating, often compared to grouper.
South Carolina rules
Keeping tripletail
No specific size or bag limit on file
SCDNR does not list a dedicated rule for Tripletail in our regulations table. General saltwater rules still apply — check the regulations page and confirm before you keep a fish.