Smallmouth Bass in South Carolina
Palmetto State smallmouth bass: limits, waters, records.
- 5 a daylimit
- 9 lb 7 ozstate record
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South Carolina Smallmouth Bass, rules and water summary
SCDNR's baseline row for smallmouth bass: 12 inches min; keep No more than 5 combined total of smallmouth, largemouth, redeye bass or their hybrids. The guide adds 3 water-specific rows, led by Lakes Hartwell, Russell (including the Lake Hartwell tailwater), Thurmond, Tugaloo, Yonah;.
SCDNR access lists name it at 4 lake and river pages here, Lake Jocassee, Lake Monticello and Broad River first. South Carolina defines it as a freshwater game fish. Look for 1 state record entry on the SCDNR lists.
2026-2027 South Carolina Hunting & Fishing Guide, valid August 14, 2026 to August 14, 2027 (online guide; PDF page 29), read November 9, 2026.
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Freshwater fish are measured by total length, and no more than 40 game fish of all kinds go home in a day.
| Water as printed | Size | Daily |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide except the water bodies listed below: | 12 inches min | No more than 5 combined total of smallmouth, largemouth, redeye bass or their hybrids |
2026-2027 South Carolina Hunting & Fishing Guide, valid August 14, 2026 to August 14, 2027 (online guide; PDF page 29), read November 9, 2026.
Guide lines that rewrite the smallmouth bass rule
| Waters as the guide lists them | Size | Daily |
|---|---|---|
| Lakes Hartwell, Russell (including the Lake Hartwell tailwater), Thurmond, Tugaloo, Yonah; Stevens Creek Reservoir; the Chattooga and Savannah Rivers | Any length | No more than 10 combined total of black bass |
| Lake Keowee | 12 inches min | No more than 10 combined total of black bass |
| Slade’s Lake | 12 inches min | No more than 2 bass per person per day |
2026-2027 South Carolina Hunting & Fishing Guide, valid August 14, 2026 to August 14, 2027 (online guide; PDF page 29), read November 9, 2026.
The South Carolina state record smallmouth bass
| SCDNR listing | Weight | Water or place | Year | List |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smallmouth Bass | 9 lb 7 oz | Lake Jocassee | 2001 | freshwater |
These are SCDNR's pound and ounce figures; angler details stay on the SCDNR page.
South Carolina state record fish as listed by SCDNR (record list), read November 9, 2026.
Choosing South Carolina water for smallmouth bass
Each water below has an SCDNR landing whose species field names it. Treat that as an agency note about the site rather than a promise of fish.
Lake pages naming smallmouth bass
- Lake Jocassee7,500 acres
- Lake Monticello6,700 acres
River pages naming smallmouth bass
- Broad RiverBeaufort County and 8 other counties
- Savannah RiverAiken County and 5 other counties
SCDNR South Carolina Public Water Access layer (ArcGIS service, the data behind the SCDNR fishing access map), read November 9, 2026.
Reading more on smallmouth bass from SCDNR
The agency write-up lives at dnr.sc.gov.
Photo of Smallmouth Bass: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
smallmouth bass across South Carolina, with direct replies
Is there a South Carolina creel limit on smallmouth bass?
The guide row reads: size 12 inches min, daily No more than 5 combined total of smallmouth, largemouth, redeye bass or their hybrids.
Which Carolina lakes or rivers write their own smallmouth bass line?
On 3 rows, including Lakes Hartwell, Russell (including the Lake Hartwell tailwater), Thurmond, Tugaloo, Yonah;.
Is there a South Carolina record for smallmouth bass?
9 lb 7 oz, from Lake Jocassee, 2001 on the SCDNR list.
Where do smallmouth bass turn up in South Carolina?
Try Lake Jocassee, Lake Monticello and Broad River; 4 pages carry it.
Is smallmouth bass a game fish in South Carolina?
Game fish, per the guide.
What does a South Carolina license for smallmouth bass cost?
Anglers 16 and older need a South Carolina freshwater fishing license; SCDNR prints $10 for a resident annual license and $35 for a nonresident annual license.
What units does the SCDNR smallmouth bass record use?
Figures are pound-ounce pairs as SCDNR lists them.
How does possession work for smallmouth bass?
Daily limits are all the guide prints for it; this page does not invent a possession cap.
Set up a smallmouth bass trip
Linked Carolina waters lead with a map, landings and limits.