Summertime is synonymous with sitting back sipping a cold drink while casting a line out into the water. Such a simple activity is one of the most relaxing ways to spend a day and Edisto Beach vacationers look forward to it all year long.
Theres nothing quite like sitting on an overturned bucket on the beach or standing knee-deep in the surf of the Atlantic Ocean waiting to catch a fish, shark, or ray. But before you break out the tackle box, bait, and fishing poles, make sure to get a recreational fishing license from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
Licenses can be obtained online from dnrlicensing.sc.gov. All applicants need is one of the following: valid drivers license, valid State issued ID card, military ID, or Passport. Payment can be made online, and fees depend on your state of residency and the length of the license; check current prices on the SCDNR licensing site.
In addition to obtaining a recreational fishing license, DNRs rules regarding recreational fishing have changed. Here are some things to know before fishing, crabbing, shrimping, or shellfishing:
- Individuals 16 and older must purchase a Saltwater Recreational Fishing License unless they are fishing from a licensed public fishing pier or fishing off of a licensed charter vessel; using three or fewer traps or three or fewer handlines with no hooks and a single bait per line; or shrimp baiting (which requires a different shrimp baiting license).
- When crabbing (for blue crabs), crabs with bodies less than five inches wide must be thrown back and females with an egg sponge (which looks like an orange mass on the abdomen) must be placed back in the water unharmed.
- Visit the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources website to view regulations regarding limits to what fish/sharks can be kept by recreational fishermen.
For those of you who like to eat the fish you catch, there are some fish that South Carolina’s state health and environmental agencies advise against eating due to the levels of mercury and other toxins found in the tissue of these fish. Advisories change, so check the current South Carolina fish consumption advisories before you eat your catch. Past advisories have included a “do not eat” advisory for King Mackerel more than 39 inches in length, all species of shark, and tilefish. These regulations are in place to protect the public, marine life, and ensure the waterways stay clean.
Getting a fishing license might sound like its a bit of a hassle, but its all worth it once youre out there on the beach in the early morning listening to the crashing waves and feeling the sultry southern sun begin to warm up the day.
Fishing from Edisto Beach
- Yes, you can fish from the beach. Surf fishing and crabbing from the town beach are allowed (a 2015 proposal to ban them was not adopted), but chumming is not. Fish away from swimmers, and never leave line or hooks on the sand.
- Guys’ trip or girls’ trip? Late winter and spring are a great time for a fishing getaway: warm enough to get out on the boat, cool enough for a fire back at the rental. Book an inshore or offshore charter for redfish, trout, cobia or deep-sea fish.
- Shrimp and crabs: cast-netting and crabbing follow their own size and season rules. See our Lowcountry seafood recipes for tips on catching and cooking them, and crabbing on Edisto.
More time on the water: boating on Edisto.
