Drum & Croaker (Sciaenidae)
Whiting
Menticirrhus spp.
About the whiting
Whiting (also called Southern kingfish) are the bread-and-butter of pier fishing. They're abundant, easy to catch, and have mild, sweet white meat that's perfect for a fish fry. If you're new to pier fishing, whiting are the fish that'll get you hooked on the sport.
- inshore
- bottom feeder
- beginner friendly
- fish fry
Where to find them
Piers that report whiting
Season, bait and average size as reported for each pier.
Pawleys Island Pier
Biting- Months
- Year-round
- Best bait
- Shrimp, bloodworms
- Average size
- 10–14 in
- Pier record
- 3 lbs
Reliable year-round catch. Great eating fish and perfect for beginners.
Murrells Inlet MarshWalk
Biting- Months
- Year-round
- Best bait
- Shrimp, bloodworms
- Average size
- 10–14 in
- Pier record
- 3 lbs
Reliable year-round catch. Great eating fish and perfect for beginners.
Second Avenue Pier
Biting- Months
- Year-round
- Best bait
- Shrimp, bloodworms
- Average size
- 10–14 in
- Pier record
- 3 lbs
Reliable year-round catch. Great eating fish and perfect for beginners.
Cherry Grove Pier
Biting- Months
- Year-round
- Best bait
- Shrimp, bloodworms
- Average size
- 10–14 in
- Pier record
- 3 lbs
Reliable year-round catch. Great eating fish and perfect for beginners.
Surfside Pier
Biting- Months
- Year-round
- Best bait
- Shrimp, bloodworms
- Average size
- 10–14 in
- Pier record
- 3 lbs
Reliable year-round catch. Great eating fish and perfect for beginners.
Garden City Pier
Biting- Months
- Year-round
- Best bait
- Shrimp, bloodworms
- Average size
- 10–14 in
- Pier record
- 3 lbs
Reliable year-round catch. Great eating fish and perfect for beginners.
Apache Pier
Biting- Months
- Year-round
- Best bait
- Shrimp, bloodworms
- Average size
- 10–14 in
- Pier record
- 3 lbs
Reliable year-round catch. Great eating fish and perfect for beginners.
Springmaid Pier
Biting- Months
- Year-round
- Best bait
- Shrimp, bloodworms
- Average size
- 10–14 in
- Pier record
- 3 lbs
Reliable year-round catch. Great eating fish and perfect for beginners.
Pier 14
Biting- Months
- Year-round
- Best bait
- Shrimp, bloodworms
- Average size
- 10–14 in
- Pier record
- 3 lbs
Reliable year-round catch. Great eating fish and perfect for beginners.
- Months
- Year-round
- Best bait
- Shrimp, bloodworms
- Average size
- 10–14 in
- Pier record
- 3 lbs
Reliable year-round catch. Great eating fish and perfect for beginners.
South Carolina rules
Keeping whiting
Whiting
saltwater- Minimum size
- None
- Maximum size
- None
- Daily bag limit
- 50
- Closed season
- None
N/A
50/day aggregate with Atlantic Croaker and Spot • Hook and line only
Summarized from SCDNR. Limits change — confirm before you keep a fish at the SCDNR source.