South Carolina state waters, out to 3 miles
SC DNR 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Past 3 miles: federal waters Different rule
The water you are in decides. the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council writes the rule past the line.
SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked 2026-09-16
Often mistaken for
Red snapperHeavier head and jaw, angular anal fin. 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
Slender vermilion body, series of short diagonal blue lines on the back, deeply forked tail. More on the vermilion snapper page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Vermilion snapper in other states10 rulebooks
Questions anglers ask5
What is the size limit for vermilion snapper in South Carolina?
12 in total length. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.
How many vermilion snapper can you keep in South Carolina?
5/day.
When is vermilion snapper season in South Carolina?
Open year-round.
What is the South Carolina record vermilion snapper?
6 lb 10 oz, Charleston (1975).
How current is this South Carolina vermilion snapper 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.
In the appPoint the camera at a vermilion snapper in South Carolina and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the app