South Carolina Fishing Records

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South Carolina

Species Weight Location Angler Date African Pompano 35 lbs 8 oz Atlantic Ocean - Mt. Pleasant M. L. Wireman 1997 Albacore Tuna 37 lbs 4 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston W. Crump 1976 Amberjack 99 lbs 11 oz Atlantic Ocean - Georgetown S. Kelly 1998 American Shad 7 lbs 0 oz Santee River  Sylvester Casselman 1985 Atlantic Bonito 7 lbs 11 oz Atlantic Ocean - Little River Charles Adams 1993 Atlantic Spadefish 11 lbs 6 oz Atlantic Ocean - Edisto Island R. Ferrell Cothran 2000 Bigeye Thresher Shark 406 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Edisto Island J. H. Mixson 1978 Black Crappie 5 lbs 0 oz Lake Moultrie  P.E. Foust 1957 Black Drum 89 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Port Royal W. P. Buquet 1978 Black Sea Bass 8 lbs 3 oz Atlantic Ocean - Fripp Inlet Larry L. Hudson 1995 Blackfin Tuna 37 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Georgetown Wofford G. Boyd 1998 Blacktip Shark 133 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Port Royal B. Weldon 1968 Blue Catfish 109 lbs 4 oz Tailrace Canal  George A. Lijewski 1991 Blue Marlin 752 lbs 6 oz Atlantic Ocean - Johns Island Dixon F. Pearce 1993 Bluefin Tuna 332 lbs 6 oz Atlantic Ocean - Murrells Inlet Michael E. Stone 1996 Bluefish 21 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston J.A. Curtis 1975 Bluegill Sunfish 3 lbs 4 oz N/A J.P. Hegler 1973 Blueline Tilefish 14 lbs 6 oz Atlantic Ocean - Murrells Inlet O. Cockerfield 1982 Bowfin 21 lbs 8 oz Forest Lake  Robert Harmon 1980 Brook Trout 2 lbs 6 oz Chattooga River  L. Dean Chapman 1979 Brown Trout 17 lbs 9.5 oz Lake Jocassee  Larry Edwards 1987 Bull Shark 477 lbs 12 oz Atlantic Ocean - Stono Inlet C. R. Faust 1985 Bullhead 6 lbs 3 oz Edisto River  Dorothy Dewitt 1973 Chain Pickerel 6 lbs 4 oz Lake Marion  Randall Spell 1981 Channel Catfish 58 lbs 0 oz Lake Moultrie  W.H. Whaley 1964 Cobia 83 lbs 3 oz Atlantic Ocean - Broad River H.D. Moon 1976 Croaker 4 lbs 9 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston C. I. Frasier 1979 Dolphin 74 lbs 6 oz Atlantic Ocean - Mt. Pleasant W. C. Etheredge 1994 Dusky Shark 466 lbs 12 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston M. Almond 1981 Flathead Catfish 79 lbs 4 oz Diversion Canal  Jessica Preston 5/11/0 Flier Sunfish 1 lbs 4 oz Hemingway Steve Bryant 1977 Florida Pompano 8 lbs 12 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston C. Mullinax Sr. 1975 Gag Grouper 48 lbs 8 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston R. L. Price 1997 Gray Triggerfish 13 lbs 9 oz Atlantic Ocean - Murrells Inlet Jim Hilton 1989 Great Barracuda 65 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Georgetown Henry Shelor 1948 Hammerhead Shark 588 lbs 3 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston Byron Bass 1989 Hogfish 20 lbs 8 oz Atlantic Ocean - Murrells Inlet J. Cline 1988 Houndfish 9 lbs 4 oz Atlantic Ocean - Murrells Inlet W. Kirby 1974 Hybrid Bass 20 lbs 6 oz Savannah River  Danny Wood 1978 Jack Crevalle 40 lbs 1 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston J. Benich 1993 Jolthead Porgy 18 lbs 4 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston J. Currie 1984 King Mackerel 62 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston J. Brownlee III 1976 Kingfish 2 lbs 10 oz Atlantic Ocean - Pawleys Island C. Micheau 1968 Ladyfish 5 lbs 14 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston B. Raver 1994 Largemouth Bass 16 lbs 2 oz Lake Marion  P.H. Flanagan 1949 Largemouth Bass 16 lbs 2 oz private pond  Mason Cummings 1993 Lemon Shark 332 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston J. Weirman 1983 Little Tunny 29 lbs 7 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston C. Edwards Jr. 1975 Longbill Spearfish 53 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Mt. Pleasant H. L. Johnson Jr. 1986 Mako Shark 302 lbs 12 oz Atlantic Ocean - Georgetown L. F. Howell 1978 Margate Grunt 18 lbs 8 oz Atlantic Ocean - Murrells Inlet J. L. Flowers 1971 Muskellunge 19 lbs 2.4 oz Broad River  Lee Ramsey 1994 Pumpkinseed Sunfish 2 lbs 4 oz North Saluda River  Scott Hart 1997 Queen Triggerfish 6 lbs 5 oz Atlantic Ocean - Murrells Inlet Alicea Novak 2000 Rainbow Runner 14 lbs 14 oz Atlantic Ocean - Georgetown W. D. Harder 1985 Rainbow Trout 11 lbs 5 oz Lake Jocassee  Scott Coggins 1993 Red Drum 75 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Murrells Inlet A. J. Taylor 1965 Red Grouper 30 lbs 2 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston G. Frost 1976 Red Porgy 10 lbs 8 oz Atlantic Ocean - Murrells Inlet J. F. Duffer 1985 Red Snapper 37 lbs 8 oz Atlantic Ocean - Little River K. Henry 1964 Redbreast Sunfish 2 lbs 0 oz Lumber River  D.R. Turner 1975 Redear Sunfish 5 lbs 7 oz Diversion Canal  Amos Gay 1998 Redeye Bass 5 lbs 2.5 oz Lake Jocassee  Randy Dickson 2001 Redfin Pickerel 1 lbs 8.8 oz Bluff Lake  Albert Johnson 1983 Sailfish 75 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Georgetown G. A. Reid 1968 Sand Tiger Shark 350 lbs 2 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston Mark Thawley 1993 Sandbar (brown) Shark 199 lbs 4 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston T. McGuiness 1984 Sauger 4 lbs 7 oz Lake Thurmond  Broadus Moody 1985 Scamp Grouper 23 lbs 10 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston R. E. Tobin 1972 Sheepshead 15 lbs 4 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston J. Percival 1969 Silky Shark 248 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston R. Keenan 1981 Skipjack Tuna 25 lbs 14 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston D. L. Stubbs 1986 Smallmouth Bass 9 lbs 7 oz Lake Jocassee  Terry Dodson 2001 Snowy Grouper 30 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Murrells Inlet R. Perdue 1981 Southern Flounder 17 lbs 6 oz Atlantic Ocean - South Santee L. C. Floyd 1974 Spanish Mackerel 11 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Myrtle Beach W. Deas Jr. 1983 Speckled Hind Grouper 45 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Little River H. R. Murray 1973 Spinner Shark 159 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston Jerry Short 1998 Spot 1 lbs 1 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston J. Stehmeyer 1967 Spotted Bass 8 lbs 2 oz Lake Jocassee  James Couch 1996 Spotted Sea Trout 11 lbs 13 oz Atlantic Ocean - Murrells Inlet A. Pendergrass 1976 Striped Bass 59 lbs 8 oz Lake Hartwell  Terry McConnell 2/3/0 Striped Bass 46 lbs 13 oz Combahee River  Billy W. Chambers 1993 Summer Flounder 3 lbs 8 oz Atlantic Ocean - Murrells Inlet J. Wallace 1982 Swordfish 500 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Georgetown B. H. Peace III 1978 Tarpon 154 lbs 10 oz Atlantic Ocean - Hilton Head S. B. Kiser 1987 Tiger Shark 1780 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Cherry Grove W. Maxwell 1964 Tripletail 25 lbs 8 oz Atlantic Ocean - Mt. Pleasant R. Hanckel Jr. 1971 Vermilion Snapper 6 lbs 10 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston D. H. Long 1975 Wahoo 130 lbs 5 oz Atlantic Ocean - Murrells Inlet J. Moore 1998 Walleye 10 lbs 0 oz Richard B. Russell Lake  Robert Huskins 1994 Warmouth 2 lbs 2.5 oz N/A W. Singletary 1973 Warsaw Grouper 310 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Murrells Inlet C. D. Pratt 1976 Weakfish 11 lbs 13 oz Atlantic Ocean - Parris Island J. M. Coppinger Jr. 1981 White Bass 5 lbs 4 oz Broad River  Johnny Gilliam 1997 White Catfish 9 lbs 15 oz Lake Murray  Jim Schwietert 1986 White Crappie 5 lbs 1 oz Lake Murray  Mrs. H.P. Owens 1949 White Marlin 108 lbs 0 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston D. C. Critz Jr. 1981 White Perch 1 lbs 13.5 oz Lake Murray  Chris Epting 1986 Yellow Perch 3 lbs 4 oz Lake Keowee  D. Scarborough 1979 Yellowfin Tuna 241 lbs 12 oz Atlantic Ocean - Charleston T. C. Lewis 1979

Rules Concerning SC Saltwater Game Fish Records

Anglers whose fish have been verified as new state records or ties with existing records will receive certificates acknowledging their state records. Only the names of anglers establishing a new record will be published in the official list of state records. Fish names used in this program are those recognized by the American Fisheries Society as a standard for the species.

The following rules apply:

1. Record fish must be caught using conventional rod and reel, and the fish must be hooked and played by one person only. Fish which are shot, harpooned, gigged, caught on electric reels, or in any unsportsmanlike manner shall be ineligible for record status.

2. Only all-tackle records are maintained. Tackle size is not a consideration for state records.

3. Record fish must be caught in accordance with all state and federal laws. Fish from hatchery waters, sanctuaries, or cultured in any way are ineligible. Boats fishing offshore must depart and return to South Carolina waters without entering any other state's or nation's port.

4. To establish a new state record, the following weight requirements must be met:
   • A fish weighing less than fifty (50) pounds must exceed the old record by four (4) ounces to be regarded as a new record. A weight difference of less than four ounces will result in a tie.
   • A fish weighing fifty (50) pounds, but not exceeding 100 pounds, must exceed the old record by eight (8) ounces to be regarded as a new record. A weight difference of less than eight ounces will result in a tie.
   • A fish weighing more than 100 pounds must exceed the old record by sixteen (16) ounces to be recognized as a new record. A weight difference of less than sixteen ounces will result in a tie.
   • These weight requirements are based on the existing record with no consideration given to subsequent ties which may be slightly heavier.

5. Estimated weights are not acceptable. All fish must be weighed on state-certified scales, and the weight must be verified by two witnesses not associated with the catch of the fish.

6. All entries must be inspected and verified by a marine fisheries biologist of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
   
   Report your catch to:
   
   

   State Record Marine Game Fish Program
   P.O. Box 12559
   Charleston, SC 29442-2559
   (803)762-5036

   
   The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources reserves the right to refuse any questionable entry. The decision of the State Record Marine Gamefish Committee is final. In the event a state marine fisheries biologist is not available, the fish should be frozen or otherwise preserved intact until a biologist can be contacted.