2026 regulation year
South Carolina Trout (rainbow + brown + brook) 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules
Oncorhynchus mykiss / Salmo trutta / Salvelinus fontinalis
Last updated
South Carolina supports a small but trophy-grade cold-water trout fishery in the Blue Ridge corner — the Chattooga River Wild & Scenic corridor on the SC/GA border, Eastatoee Creek in the Eastatoee Heritage Preserve, the Saluda River below Lake Murray Dam (cold-water tailwater into Columbia), and Lake Jocassee + Lake Keowee (Duke Energy deep-water reservoirs supporting deep-thermocline brown + rainbow trout year-round). Lake Jocassee produced the SC state-record brown trout (17 lb 9.5 oz, 2001) and remains one of the South's premier deep-water trout fisheries. Native brook trout persist in headwater streams in the Sumter National Forest. South Carolina has no separate trout permit or stamp — a standard freshwater fishing licence is all that is required to fish for or possess trout. Delayed Harvest reaches run catch-and-release artificial-only Nov 1 – May 14, then revert to general regs.
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Season
Open year-round on most public trout waters. Delayed Harvest reaches: catch-and-release artificial-only Nov 1 – May 14; general regs (possession 5 trout, no minimum size) balance of year. SC has no statewide minimum size on general trout waters; Lake Jocassee carries a 15 in minimum Oct 1 – May 31.
– Delayed Harvest reaches
Catch-and-release ONLY; single-hook artificial lures only — Eastatoee Creek, Saluda River below Lake Murray Dam upper tailwater, listed reaches
– Delayed Harvest reaches (general regs)
General regs: possession 5 trout, no minimum size — Delayed Harvest reverts after May 14
– Chattooga River Section 0 + Section I (SC/GA boundary)
Year-round catch-and-release artificial-only
– General trout waters (Lake Keowee, Sumter NF streams, Chattooga River general reaches)
Year-round; possession 5 trout, no minimum size. Lake Jocassee is the exception — 15 in min Oct 1 – May 31 (possession 3)
Bag & possession
- Daily bag
- Possession limit 5 trout on general waters (rainbow + brown + brook), counted within the statewide 40-game-fish daily aggregate; 0 on catch-and-release reaches
- Possession
- 5 trout (3 on Lake Jocassee)
Size, slot, trophy rules
- Size
- No minimum size on general trout waters (any length); Lake Jocassee 15 in min Oct 1 – May 31 with only 1 fish over 20 in; Lower Saluda River (Broad River confluence to Lake Murray Dam) only 1 fish over 16 in; no harvest on catch-and-release / Delayed Harvest reaches
- Trophy rule
- Lake Jocassee state-record brown trout 17 lb 9.5 oz (2001) — deep clear-water reservoir; Oct 1 – May 31 a 15 in minimum applies and only 1 trout over 20 in may be kept (possession 3)
Gear restrictions
- Standard freshwater fishing licence required — SC has no separate trout permit or stamp
- Delayed Harvest reaches (Nov 1 – May 14): single-hook artificial lures + flies only, catch-and-release ONLY
- Lake Jocassee: corn, cheese, fish eggs and their imitations are unlawful to use or possess
- Treble hooks permitted on general waters during open harvest season
- Snagging prohibited
Named water-body overrides
Where statewide rules differ on specific South Carolina waters:
Chattooga River (Hwy 28 to Reed Creek)
Delayed Harvest Nov 1 – May 14 catch-and-release, single-hook artificial only; possession 5, no minimum size May 15 – Oct 31; SC/GA reciprocal Wild & Scenic boundary
Eastatoee Creek (Heritage Preserve)
Delayed Harvest Nov 1 – May 14 catch-and-release artificial-only; general regs (possession 5, no minimum size) May 15 – Oct 31
Saluda River below Lake Murray Dam
Lower Saluda (Broad River confluence to Lake Murray Dam): possession 5, only 1 fish over 16 in; the I-20 bridge to Stacey's Ledge reach is catch-and-release only; cold-water release supports trout into Columbia
Lake Jocassee
Oct 1 – May 31: 15 in min, only 1 over 20 in, possession 3; Jun 1 – Sept 30: any length, possession 3; corn/cheese/fish-egg baits prohibited; SC state-record brown trout waters; deep thermocline fishing
Lake Keowee
Year-round; possession 5 trout, no minimum size; deep clear-water reservoir trout + smallmouth + spotted bass
Official source
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources publishes the authoritative 2026 South Carolinafishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.
The trout (rainbow + brown + brook) rules on this page are sourced from South Carolina Department of Natural Resources's official trout (rainbow + brown + brook) regulation page.
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Emergency-order channel
Trout (rainbow + brown + brook) closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to South Carolina Department of Natural Resources's emergency-order feed — check it before any South Carolina trip during the active season.
Frequently asked questions
- When is trout (rainbow + brown + brook) season in South Carolina?
- Open year-round on most public trout waters. Delayed Harvest reaches: catch-and-release artificial-only Nov 1 – May 14; general regs (possession 5 trout, no minimum size) balance of year. SC has no statewide minimum size on general trout waters; Lake Jocassee carries a 15 in minimum Oct 1 – May 31. Those are the 2026 South Carolina dates; always confirm against South Carolina Department of Natural Resources before a trip, because an emergency order can shift an opener with little notice.
- What is the South Carolina bag limit for trout (rainbow + brown + brook)?
- The South Carolina daily bag limit for trout (rainbow + brown + brook) is Possession limit 5 trout on general waters (rainbow + brown + brook), counted within the statewide 40-game-fish daily aggregate; 0 on catch-and-release reaches. The possession limit is 5 trout (3 on Lake Jocassee). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
- What size trout (rainbow + brown + brook) can you keep in South Carolina?
- The South Carolina size rule for trout (rainbow + brown + brook) is No minimum size on general trout waters (any length); Lake Jocassee 15 in min Oct 1 – May 31 with only 1 fish over 20 in; Lower Saluda River (Broad River confluence to Lake Murray Dam) only 1 fish over 16 in; no harvest on catch-and-release / Delayed Harvest reaches. Trophy rule: Lake Jocassee state-record brown trout 17 lb 9.5 oz (2001) — deep clear-water reservoir; Oct 1 – May 31 a 15 in minimum applies and only 1 trout over 20 in may be kept (possession 3).
- Do you need a license to fish for trout (rainbow + brown + brook) in South Carolina?
- Yes. South Carolina requires a valid fishing license to fish for trout (rainbow + brown + brook), with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a South Carolina license — compare resident and non-resident South Carolina fees on the state regulations page below.
- Are there gear restrictions for trout (rainbow + brown + brook) in South Carolina?
- Yes. In South Carolina, trout (rainbow + brown + brook) fishing carries these gear rules: Standard freshwater fishing licence required — SC has no separate trout permit or stamp; Delayed Harvest reaches (Nov 1 – May 14): single-hook artificial lures + flies only, catch-and-release ONLY; Lake Jocassee: corn, cheese, fish eggs and their imitations are unlawful to use or possess; Treble hooks permitted on general waters during open harvest season; Snagging prohibited.
- Do specific South Carolina waters have different trout (rainbow + brown + brook) rules?
- Yes. 5 named South Carolina waters carry rules that override the statewide trout (rainbow + brown + brook) regulation, including Chattooga River, Eastatoee Creek (Heritage Preserve), Saluda tailwater, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.