2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 50 - Fish, Game and Watercraft › Chapter 13 - Protection Of Fish › Section 50-13-675. Nongame fishing devices or gear permitted in certain bodies of freshwater.

Archery equipment, cast nets, crayfish traps, gigs, hand grabbing, landing nets (dip nets), minnow seines, minnow traps, and spears, may be used in freshwaters, except in lakes owned or managed by the department and the freshwaters of the State in Game Zone 1, to take nongame fish except for species-specific restrictions in this title. Where permitted, a recreational fisherman may fish one gill net not more than one hundred yards in length or not more than three gill nets, none of which exceeds thirty yards in length; a commercial fisherman may fish four or more gill nets. Notwithstanding other provisions of this chapter, it is unlawful to use or possess any nongame fishing device or gear or the number not authorized by this section on the particular body of water. Nongame fishing devices, except as provided in this section, must not be used in freshwater including tributaries of rivers or creeks unless listed and regulated in this section:
(1) Ashepoo River:
(a) eel pots:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-seventy-five;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(2) Ashley River:
(a) eel pots:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-seventy-five;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(3) Black Creek; (Darlington, Florence, and Chesterfield Counties) including Lakes Robinson and Prestwood:
(a) gill nets: nongame nets in season;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(c) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-five lines with two hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(4) Black River:
(a) gill nets: nongame nets in season;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(c) traps-only from Pea House landing downstream:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-ten;
(d) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-five lines with two hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(5) Broad River:
(a) seines upstream from S.C. State Highway 34 Bridge to the North Carolina/South Carolina State line only:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(c) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-five;
(d) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(6) Bush River, Laurens County:
(a) seines:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(7) Catawba River from the Lake Wylie Dam to the Cedar Creek Dam including the in-stream reservoirs:
(a) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(b) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-two;
(c) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(8) Combahee River:
(a) eel pots:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-seventy-five;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(c) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-five lines with two hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(9) Congaree River:
(a) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(b) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-ten;
(c) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(10) Cooper River (Berkley and Charleston Counties):
(a) eel pots: not allowed upstream from Wadboo Creek:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-five;
(b) elver fyke nets: allowed on all tributaries and on the main branch from the saltwater/freshwater dividing line upstream to the CSX railroad trestle on the Tail Race Canal:
(i) commercial license only-ten nets;
(c) pump nets:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(d) set hooks: not allowed upstream from Wadboo Creek:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(e) skimbow nets:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(f) traps: not allowed upstream from Wadboo Creek:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-twenty-five;
(g) trotlines: not allowed upstream from Wadboo Creek:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(11) Coosawhatchie River:
(a) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(12) Durbin Creek: (Greenville and Laurens Counties):
(a) seines:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(13) Edisto River, including the North and South Forks:
(a) eel pots:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-seventy-five;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(c) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-five lines with two hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(14) Enoree River:
(a) seines: from the Norfolk-Southern Railroad in Greenville County downstream to the confluence with the Broad River:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license- fifty;
(c) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-two;
(d) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(15) Four Holes Lakes system in Dorchester County which includes Bridge Lake, John's Hole Lake, Little Pond Lake, Mallard's Lake, Mims Lake, Mouth of Four Holes Lake, Rock's Lake, Shuler Lake, Steed's Lake and Woods Lake:
(a) gill nets: nongame nets in season;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(16) Great Pee Dee River: the waters from U.S. Interstate Highway 95 to the saltwater/freshwater dividing line including the navigable oxbows and sloughs and Bull Creek:
(a) eel pots: downstream from U.S. Highway 701 to the saltwater/freshwater dividing line:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-seventy-five;
(b) gill nets: nongame nets in season;
(c) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(d) skimbow nets:
(i) recreational license-one;
(e) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(f) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-five lines with two hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(17) Great Pee Dee River, the waters from U.S. Interstate Highway 95 to the North Carolina/South Carolina State Line including the navigable oxbows and sloughs:
(a) gill nets: nongame nets allowed in season;
(b) hoop nets: upstream from S.C. State Highway 34 to the North Carolina/ South Carolina state line:
(i) commercial license only-fifty;
(c) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(d) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(e) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-five lines with two hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(18) Jefferies Creek (Florence County):
(a) gill nets: nongame nets in season;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(c) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-five lines with two hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(19) Lake Greenwood:
(a) jugs:
(i) recreational license only-fifty;
(b) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-five;
(c) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(20) Lake Hartwell:
(a) jugs:
(i) recreational license only-fifty;
(b) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-five;
(c) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(21) Lake J. Strom Thurmond and Stevens Creek Reservoir:
(a) jugs:
(i) recreational license only-fifty;
(b) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-five;
(c) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(22) Lake Keowee:
(a) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-five;
(b) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(23) Lakes Marion and Moultrie, and the upper reach of the Santee River:
(a) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-twenty-five;
(b) trotlines: Hooks must have a gap or clearance between point and shank no greater than seven-sixteenths inch:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with not more than four hundred hooks on each line;
(24) Lake Murray:
(a) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-five;
(b) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(25) Lake Richard B. Russell:
(a) jugs:
(i) recreational license only-fifty;
(b) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-five;
(c) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(26) Lake Secession:
(a) jugs:
(i) recreational license only-fifty;
(b) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-five;
(c) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(27) Lake Wateree:
(a) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-five;
(b) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(28) Lake Wylie:
(a) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-five;
(b) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(29) Little Pee Dee River including Russ's Creek and other navigable oxbows and sloughs:
(a) gill nets: nongame nets allowed in season;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(c) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-five lines with two hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(30) Little River: from Mars Bridge in McCormick County up to the confluence of Barkers Creek (Long Branch) and Corner Creek in Anderson County:
(a) seines:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(31) Log Creek (Edgefield County):
(a) seines:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(32) Long Cane Creek, (McCormick County) from above Patterson Bridge on S. C. State Highway S-33-117 upstream to S.C. State Highway S-1-75 in Abbeville County:
(a) seines:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(33) Louther's Lake (Darlington County):
(a) gill nets: nongame nets in season;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(34) Lumber River:
(a) gill nets: nongame nets in season;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(c) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-five lines with two hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(35) Lynches River (includes Clarks Creek, Mill Creek and Muddy Creek):
(a) gill nets: nongame nets allowed in season;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(c) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-five lines with two hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(36) Mulberry Creek (Greenwood County):
(a) seines:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(37) New River:
(a) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(38) Pacolet River:
(a) seines:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(c) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-two;
(d) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(39) Rabon Creek (Laurens County):
(a) seines:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(40) Reedy River:
(a) seines: from the Norfolk-Southern Railroad in Greenville County downstream to the backwaters of Lake Greenwood:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(c) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-two;
(d) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(41) Rocky River (Anderson County):
(a) seines:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(42) Salkehatchie River:
(a) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(43) Saluda River-from S.C. State Highway 183 in Greenville County to the backwaters of Lake Greenwood and on the Middle Reach of the Saluda River:
(a) seines:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(c) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-two;
(d) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(44) Saluda River-Lower reach:
(a) traps:
(i) recreational license only-two;
(b) trotlines:
(i) recreational license only-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(45) Sampit River:
(a) gill nets: nongame nets in season;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(c) skimbow nets:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(d) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-twenty-five;
(46) Santee River, from USGS gauging station 1715 about 2.4 miles below Santee Dam downstream to the saltwater/freshwater dividing line including the North and South Santee Rivers:
(a) eel pots:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-seventy-five;
(b) skimbow nets:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(c) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(d) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-five lines with two hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(e) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(47) Savannah River-Lower Reach to the saltwater/freshwater dividing line:
(a) eel pots:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-seventy-five;
(b) gill nets: nongame nets in season;
(c) hoop nets:
(i) commercial license only-ten;
(d) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(e) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-forty;
(f) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-five lines with two hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(48) Stevens Creek from S.C. State Highway S-19-53 upstream to the confluence of Hard Labor and Cuffytown Creeks:
(a) seines:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(49) Thicketty Creek, (Cherokee County):
(a) seines:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(50) Tulifinny River:
(a) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(51) Turkey Creek (Edgefield and Greenwood Counties):
(a) seines:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(52) Tyger River:
(a) seines:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(c) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-two;
(d) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(53) Waccamaw River:
(a) eel pots: downstream of the junction of Bull Creek to the saltwater/freshwater dividing line:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-seventy-five;
(b) gill nets: nongame nets in season;
(c) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(d) skimbow nets:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(e) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-five lines with two hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(54) Warrior Creek (Laurens County):
(a) seines:
(i) recreational license only-one;
(55) Wateree River:
(a) hoop nets:
(i) commercial license only-ten;
(b) set hooks:
(i) recreational license-fifty;
(ii) commercial license-fifty;
(c) traps:
(i) recreational license-two;
(ii) commercial license-forty;
(d) trotlines:
(i) recreational license-one line with fifty hooks maximum;
(ii) commercial license-three lines with one hundred fifty hooks maximum;
(56) Wilson Creek (Greenwood County): from the confluence of Wilson Creek and Ninety-Six Creek upstream to U.S. Highway 25/U.S. Highway 178 in Greenwood County:
(a) seines:
(i) recreational license only-one.
HISTORY: 1981 Act No. 170, Section 1; 1982 Act No. 461, Section 9; 1983 Act No. 107, Section 1; 1983 Act No. 131, Section 2; 1984 Act No. 320, Section 1; 1984 Act No. 364, Section 1; 1984 Act No. 367, Section 3; 1984 Act No. 430, Section 1; 1985 Act No. 61, Section 1; 1986 Act No. 454, Section 1; 1992 Act No. 316, Section 7; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 1263; 1994 Act No. 350, Section 2; 2000 Act No. 350, Sections 1, 2; 1976 Code Section 50-13-1192; 2012 Act No. 114, Section 4, eff July 1, 2012; 2016 Act No. 220 (H.3449), Section 1, eff June 3, 2016; 2016 Act No. 220 (H.3449), Section 2, eff January 1, 2021; 2021 Act No. 57 (S.545), Sections 1 to 3, eff May 17, 2021; 2022 Act No. 137 (H.4907), Section 10, eff April 11, 2022.
Editor's Note
"SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor. However, Section 50-13-675(55)(a)(i) and Section 50-13-675(55)(a)(ii) are repealed on January 1, 2021."
Effect of Amendment
The 2012 amendment renumbered and rewrote the section.
2016 Act No. 220, Section 1, in (55)(a), added (i), redesignated former (i) as (ii), and in (ii), deleted "only" following "license".
2021 Act No. 57, Section 1, in (46), added (e).
2021 Act No. 57, Section 2, in (55)(a), added (i).
2021 Act No. 57, Section 3, rewrote (9).
2022 Act No. 137, Section 10, in the first undesignated paragraph, in the first sentence, inserted "landing nets (dip nets)," following "hand grabbing," and substituted "and the freshwaters of the State in Game Zone 1, to take nongame fish except for species-specific restrictions in this title" for ", to take nongame fish".