UTERLittle tunny fishing in South Carolina Coast
In South Carolina Coast, little tunny peak May and October and are around April–November, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. October: False albacore off the jetties and the nearshore reefs.
False albacore off the jetties and the nearshore reefs.
Little tunny in South Carolina Coast, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilArriving
- MayPeak
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberArriving
- OctoberPeakFalse albacore off the jetties and the nearshore reefs.
- NovemberAround
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish little tunny near Hilton Head, Beaufort, Edisto
Port Royal and St. Helena sounds, the ACE Basin, Charleston Harbor and its jetties, Bulls Bay, Winyah Bay and the Grand Strand beaches — spartina marsh and oyster rakes behind barrier islands, with live-bottom ledges, artificial reefs and the Georgetown Hole and Gulf Stream offshore.
Fish Scouter charts 218 wreck, 144 artificial reef spots in the The Lowcountry map area — the kinds little tunny hold on.
What to use for little tunny
- Glass minnows (bay anchovies)Thrown by the handful as chum for Spanish, trout and ladyfish, or several on a tiny hook.
- Pilchards (whitebait)Free-lined or under a cork, hooked through the nose on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook. The one bait that catches everything inshore.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 66–86°F water, best at 70–82°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch little tunny in South Carolina Coast?
Peak season is May and October. Little tunny are in South Carolina Coast April–November. October: False albacore off the jetties and the nearshore reefs.
Where do little tunny hold in South Carolina Coast?
Look on artificial reef, pass / inlet, beach / surf, wreck — around Hilton Head, Beaufort, Edisto, Charleston, Mount Pleasant, McClellanville.
What is the best bait for little tunny in South Carolina Coast?
Live bait: glass minnows (bay anchovies), pilchards (whitebait). Glass minnows (bay anchovies): Thrown by the handful as chum for Spanish, trout and ladyfish, or several on a tiny hook. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
What are the rules for little tunny in South Carolina Coast?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) and change — read the current rule at https://www.dnr.sc.gov/regulations.html before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://www.dnr.sc.gov/licensing.html.
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