Waterlands

Species guide · South Carolina

Crevalle jack fishing in South Carolina

Caranx hippos, a nearshore species also called jack crevalle, jack and common jack. Listed for the South Atlantic region. Peak season, about 4 more weeks.

Right now it scores best in Coastal waters from Murrells Inlet to South Santee River SC out 20 NM at 64, one of 4 South Carolina bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.

Season now

Peak season
Where it's scoring nowAll South Carolina waters

Season by month

From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.

South Atlantic

Peak season, about 4 more weeks
  1. Jan: Off season
  2. Feb: Off season
  3. Mar: Off season
  4. Apr: Shoulder season
  5. May: Shoulder season
  6. Jun: Shoulder season
  7. Jul: Peak season
  8. Aug: Peak season
  9. Sep: Peak season
  10. Oct: Peak season
  11. Nov: Off season
  12. Dec: Off season

Peak: Jul to Oct. In season (shoulder or peak): Apr to Oct.

Research notes, South Atlantic region

SCDNR describes crevalle as summer-only in South Carolina, leaving as water cools in fall. Florida east coast inlets from Jupiter to St. Augustine see big schools on the September and October mullet run.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

Where it's scoring now · 4

South Carolina bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's crevalle jack score this hour.

1
64Good
Coastal waters from Murrells Inlet to South Santee River SC out 20 NM

Best window today 6-9 PM (79) · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 6 PM (81) · 6 named spots

2
63Good
Charleston Harbor

Best window today 6-9 PM (84) · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 8 PM (84) · 37 named spots

3
63Good
Coastal waters from Edisto Beach SC to Savannah GA out 20 NM

Best window today 6-9 PM (83) · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 7 PM (83) · 28 named spots

4
62Good
Coastal waters from Little River Inlet to Murrells Inlet SC out 20 NM

Best window today 6-9 PM (74) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 7 PM (76) · 1 named spot

How and where it feeds

Water temperature
Feeds from 65°F to 92°F, best between 70°F and 85°F.
Water depth
1 to 60 ft of water.
Structure
Inlet, pass, jetty, bridge, channel, bay and beach, in that order of preference.
Tide and current
Prefers moving water, with moderate current.Jacks chase bait wherever current concentrates it, so inlet and pass mouths on either tide and rips along jetties are the places to look. Tide stage matters less than finding bait and birds.
Light
Bites best around dawn and dusk.
Pressure
Little response to pressure changes.
Wind and sea limits
20 kt of wind and 4 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.

Tackle and technique

Jacks roam in schools through inlets, passes, bays, river mouths and along beaches, pushing bait to the surface, and big fish also hold on nearshore reefs and wrecks. Watch for birds and surface blowups, then cast a popper, a spoon or a bucktail into the school and retrieve fast. Bring heavy spinning tackle, because a jack over 15 pounds runs hard and fights for a long time.

Methods
casting to surface schools, live bait, trolling, fly fishing
Lures
topwater popper, spoon, bucktail jig, soft plastic swimbait, baitfish fly
Bait
live mullet, pilchard, pinfish, ladyfish

Regulations

SCDNR saltwater regulations Buy a South Carolina fishing license License types

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Synced with SCDNR Sep 20, 2026.

No reviewed crevalle jack rule for South Carolina is on file yet. Check with SCDNR before you keep one.

Other South Carolina species