UTERScamp fishing in South Carolina Coast
In South Carolina Coast, scamp peak May–October and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Scamp on the shelf edge.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Scamp in South Carolina Coast, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilArriving
- MayPeak
- JunePeakScamp on the shelf edge.
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish scamp 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 scamp hold on.
What to use for scamp
- Cigar minnowsNose-hooked on a stinger rig for kings, or a 4/0 circle hook dropped to the bottom for grouper.
- PinfishHooked through the back ahead of the dorsal on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook; the small ones free-lined, the big ones on a fish-finder rig.
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- Leader30–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook2/0–7/0
- Braid30–65 lb
Feeds in 60–82°F water, best at 66–78°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch scamp in South Carolina Coast?
Peak season is May–October. Scamp are here year-round. June: Scamp on the shelf edge.
Where do scamp hold in South Carolina Coast?
Look on ledge / hard bottom, artificial reef, wreck — around Hilton Head, Beaufort, Edisto, Charleston, Mount Pleasant, McClellanville.
What is the best bait for scamp in South Carolina Coast?
Live bait: cigar minnows, pinfish, squid. Cigar minnows: Nose-hooked on a stinger rig for kings, or a 4/0 circle hook dropped to the bottom for grouper. Tackle: leader 30–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 2/0–7/0, braid 30–65 lb.
What are the rules for scamp 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.
Fish it with the tide in your pocket
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All about scamp · The Lowcountry, the whole year