2020 shrimp baiting season begins Sept. 11

Shrimp baiting season closes on Nov. 10

South Carolina’s 2020 shrimp baiting season opens Sept. 11 at 12 noon, and runs until noon on Nov. 10.

The daily limit is 48 quarts whole, or 29 quarts headed per day, per set of poles.

Shrimp baiting is a favored pastime of many South Carolina sportsmen. The process involves setting up a series of not more than 10 poles in a straight line, tossing bait balls or patties between the poles, then casting a net over the bait. It’s a great way to spend time on the water, and it can lead to many great meals.

A shrimp baiting license is $25 for residents of South Carolina. They are $500 for non-residents.

The regulations are as follows:

Participants must have a shrimp baiting license.
License holders, while shrimping from a boat, may be assisted by a resident who is not required to have a shrimp baiting license.
Shrimp caught over bait cannot be sold.
No more than 10 poles can be used per license per day. Poles must be marked with reflective tape and may not exceed 1-inch in diameter and each pole must have a numbered tag attached which corresponds with the shrimp baiting license.
No more than 10 poles can be used per boat.
All poles of a licensed set must be within 100 linear yards of each other and sets of poles must be at least 25 yards apart. Poles may not be set within 50 yards of any dock, public landing or boat ramp. Unattended poles will be confiscated.
Owners of private docks or persons with written permission may bait from those docks once properly licensed and with numbered tag displayed.
Shrimp pots or traps are prohibited.
Cast nets used for taking shrimp over bait must have a minimum mesh size of 1/2-inch square (1-inch stretch).
Individuals who may NOT obtain a shrimp baiting license are: 1) owners or officers of a corporation which owns a vessel specified on a trawl license; 2) masters of a vessel specified on a trawl license; 3) licensed to use a channel net; 4) licensed to use a cast net for a commercial purpose; 5) licensed as a wholesale seafood dealer.