Mike Blackmon of Greensboro, North Carolina, drifted a live mullet minnow on a Carolina rig in the Cherry Grove area and hooked a 39-inch red drum. Fisherman's Post ran his photo in its October 2026 North Myrtle/Little River report, and the caption says he caught and released it.
That fish was 14 inches longer than the largest red drum South Carolina now lets anyone keep. This is the first fall since the state's new red drum law took effect, and fall is when the big reds push into the inlets on either side of Cherry Grove. At the jetties this month, most reds reported are longer than 25 inches, and the law requires releasing every one of them. Anyone fishing the pier, the jetties or the marsh this season gets two kinds of trip. One is catching big reds and letting them go. The other is bringing home dinner, and that mostly means flounder, Spanish mackerel and black drum.
The slot moved up and the bag shrank
South Carolina's Act No. 231 took effect July 1, 2026. It allows one red drum per person per day and no more than two per boat. A red under 18 inches or over 25 inches can't be kept. According to the SCDNR 2026–27 regulations guide, the cuts follow regional management plans the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission adopted in fall 2025, with red drum currently classified as overfished.
WMBF's report on the day before the change laid out what the law replaced:
| Red drum rule | Before July 1, 2026 | Since July 1, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Per person, per day | 2 fish | 1 fish |
| Per boat, per day | 6 fish | 2 fish |
| Keeper size | 15–23 inches | 18–25 inches |
WMBF also reported that charter boats are now held to two fish no matter how many people are aboard.
The slot rose by two inches at the top. The fall run around Cherry Grove is made up of fish well past that.
The same law brought in a tackle rule. If you fish with natural bait, meaning cut or live bait, on a hook size 4/0 or larger for saltwater gamefish, the hook has to be a non-offset, non-stainless steel circle hook. SCDNR's guide says there's no hook-type restriction for hooks smaller than 4/0 or for artificial lures. The state defines saltwater gamefish as cobia, red drum, spotted seatrout, striped bass and tarpon. The hook clause is written for handheld hook-and-line fishing, and the statute text doesn't list a separate exception for piers or the surf. If you fish bait for bull reds off a pier, ask SCDNR how the rule applies to your rig.
October's reports are full of fish over the slot
The October 2026 Fisherman's Post report, posted October 1, describes most of this run as fish over 25 inches.
- At the jetties, the report describes a good red drum bite with most fish over the slot, up to 30 inches, taken on cut mullet or menhaden fished on the bottom.
- Bob of Strange Magic Fishing Charters reports that the large red drum run has started in Little River Inlet, with reds hitting large live mullet and shrimp.
- Jessey of Shallow Minded Fishing Charters calls the red drum bite around Little River Inlet and the jetties "phenomenal," on live and fresh cut mullet.
- Chris of Fine Catch Fishing Charters says reds are "absolutely all over the place," around oyster mounds, creek mouths, grass-line ambush points and deeper channels.
The keepers are in different water. Curtis of Captain Smiley Fishing Charters reports smaller red drum with slot fish mixed in, caught on finger mullet. He says the reds are scattered, from holes far back in the creeks out to the Intracoastal Waterway banks. Bob of Apache Pier, down the Strand, reports a good number of slot-sized reds coming over the rail. So the reds you can legally keep this month are mostly back in the creeks and along the waterway. The jetty reds reported this month are mostly over the slot, up to 30 inches, so they go back.
What goes in the cooler from Cherry Grove right now
Cherry Grove Pier's October report is about something else. Ed of Cherry Grove Pier tells Fisherman's Post that Spanish mackerel fishing has been "awesome" for anglers sight-casting Gotcha plugs and other metal jigs around bait balls and surface-feeding schools. Bottom rigs are bringing up black drum, flounder and some spots.
Flounder is the most generous take-home fish this fall. SCDNR's current table allows five flounder per person per day, no more than ten per boat, with a 16-inch minimum total length and no closed season listed. The eRegulations finfish table, last updated August 11, 2026, shows the same limits. The flounder bite matches. Captain Smiley's Curtis reports plenty of keepers, though he says the fish are holding off the beaten path because popular spots have been fished hard, and a 3- to 4-inch finger mullet is the bait to beat. Jessey reports bigger flounder on the nearshore reefs, including AR-460, the Ron McManus Reef and the Three Mile Reef.
Black drum round out the cooler, around deeper oyster banks, the rock jetties, backwater holes and docks along the waterway, on fresh shrimp. Kings are also starting to show. Fletcher of Dave's Outpost reports a couple caught off the local piers. Josh of Little River Fishing Fleet calls their arrival the biggest change from September, though many are smaller fish.
Letting a big red go
When most of the reds you hook have to be released, how you release them matters. SCDNR's red drum catch-and-release guidance for adult fish covers four steps:
- Use heavier tackle so the fight is short.
- Handle the fish with wet hands.
- Leave the fish in the water for photos when possible.
- Revive it gently before letting it go.
The size and bag limits printed on that page are the pre-2026 numbers, so check the statute or the 2026–27 guide for current limits. The handling advice still applies.
Grand Strand anglers interviewed by WMBF the day before the rules took effect mostly accepted the change. David Rapp told the station that red drum "are breeder-type fish when they get over the size of 25." Rayburn Poston said, "You can still go fishing." A captain identified as Capt. Jack described a broader shift: "Fishing nowadays is more so of having fun and catching fish than what you can let go to catch tomorrow."
The pier and the marsh, close to home
Cherry Grove Pier lists daily hours of 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and its Tackle and Gift Shop keeps the same hours. Driftwood Restaurant, at the end of the pier, lists 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The pier's pricing page was posted in March 2026, so call ahead before relying on these numbers:
- Walk-on pass, $3
- One day fishing with your own rod, $3 admission plus $10 per rod
- Rod rental, $26 a day with a $30 security deposit, admission and fishing pass included
- King Mackerel pass, $30 a day for a three-rod setup
- Season passes, from $120 for walking to $500 for King Mackerel
For the creeks behind the island, where Captain Smiley's report places the scattered slot reds, Cherry Grove Kayaking delivers kayaks, paddles and life jackets to the kayak ramp at Cherry Grove Park and Boat Ramp for three-hour rentals, and it runs a guided salt-marsh tour of the island it spells Waites Island. J & L Kayaking offers two-hour, four-hour and custom rentals with delivery, plus backwater, Waties Island, crabbing and marsh-sunset tours.
This post is general information about published fishing rules, not legal advice, so check the current statute and SCDNR's guide before you keep a fish.
If you're thinking about a Cherry Grove home with marsh access, a short walk to the pier or a dock on the creeks where the slot reds hold this time of year, Kristen Lundy knows this end of North Myrtle Beach well and can help you find the right one. Let's Connect.
