S.C. alligator, shrimp baiting seasons open this weekend (2020)

Editor’s note: This is an archived article from 2020

Shrimp baiting starts Sept. 11, gator season Sept. 12

Two seasons that are near and dear to the hearts of many South Carolina residents will kick off this month: alligator and shrimp baiting.

The state’s 13th public alligator season will begin at noon on Sept. 12 and end at noon on Oct. 10. Hunters chosen for permits by a lottery draw will be allowed to tag one alligator at least 4 feet long during the season.

Permits will be divided between four management units: Midlands, Pee Dee, Coastal Plain and Southern Coastal, with an equal number of permits (usually 250) divided between the management units. South Carolina’s statewide alligator population is estimated at 100,000.

Editor’s note: This is an archived article from 2020

Shrimp baiting season opens at noon on Sept. 11 and runs through Nov. 10. Sportsmen who purchase a shrimp-baiting permit may keep up to 48 quarts (whole) or 29 quarts (heads off) per day during the 60-day season.

Shrimpers can use bait balls around up to 10 marked poles in an area no more than 100 yards long. They cannot be set within 50 yards of a dock, pier or public boat ramp. Cast nets with 1/2-inch mesh are the typical method of capture. No shrimp caught while baiting can be sold.

State officials predicted last spring an average to above-average season on white shrimp, which are the main targets of bait shrimpers.

Editor’s note: This is an archived article from 2020