Fishermen who move around the waters south of Shallotte on a regular basis often ride through South Carolina waters, especially to access the Calabash River. The state line runs from about a half-mile west of Calabash across the marsh to the ocean about 100 yards east of Little River Inlet. White poles on the side of the ICW and inlet mark the line, but most fishermen don’t know what they signify and many don’t even notice them.
No reciprocal license agreement exists between the states and probably never will, as long as creel limits and size minimums differ. This places the burden of knowledge on fishermen, and it is “must-know” information. Most SCDNR officers allow boas to pass through as long as they doesn’t stop, but those stopping to fish should expect to be checked.
The states have different regulations for the main species encountered: red drum, black drum, speckled trout and flounder. In North Carolina, fishermen can keep one red per day between 18 and 27 inches; South Carolina’s limit is three per day, with a 15- to 23-inch slot. South Carolina fishermen may keep five black drum per day in a 14- to 27-inch slot, while North Carolina anglers may keep 10 per day in a 14- to 25-inch slot, with one fish allowed above the slot. Speckled trout have the same 14-inch minimum in both states, with South Carolina anglers allowed to keep 10. North Carolina fishermen are limited to four fish, but regulations could change at the February meeting of the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission. The minimum size for flounder is 14 inches in South Carolina and 15 in North Carolina. The daily creel limit is 15 in South Carolina and six in North Carolina.
For more information on each state’s limits, visit www.ncdmf.net and www.dnr.sc.gov.
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