South Carolina state waters, out to 3 miles
Bag applies to hook-and-line or gig combined.
SC DNR 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Often mistaken for
Southern flounderNo eye-ringed spots at all. Tell them apart
Summer flounderFive eye-ringed spots in an X. Tell them apartKeep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
South Carolina state record
SCDNR Saltwater Game Fish Records · checked 2026-08-23
How to tell it
Three ocellated (eye-ringed) spots in a triangle — two above, one below the lateral line — on a sandy left-facing flatfish. More on the Gulf flounder page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Gulf flounder in other states9 rulebooks
Questions anglers ask5
What is the size limit for Gulf flounder in South Carolina?
16 in total length. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.
How many Gulf flounder can you keep in South Carolina?
5/day, max 10/boat. Counts toward the Flounder (southern, summer, gulf) aggregate.
When is Gulf flounder season in South Carolina?
Open year-round.
What is the South Carolina record Gulf flounder?
6 lb 4.8 oz, Murrells Inlet (2021).
How current is this South Carolina Gulf flounder rule?
Source: SC DNR 2026, last checked Sep 20, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.
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