Striped Bass Catch-and-Release
Regulations In Effect

This includes the lower Saluda River

Santee Cooper striped bass harvest prohibition regulations are currently in effect.  Season restrictions, signed into law last year, for the entire Santee Cooper system (lakes and rivers) for striped bass went into effect June 1, 2009. 

Anglers must NOT harvest or possess striped bass and must immediately release any striped bass caught from June 1 thru September 30.

This is considered a first step to combat the population decline of the striped bass fishery in the Santee Cooper system by reducing the amount of fish an angler can harvest, as well as increasing the minimum size limits.

    The regulations also include (when applicable):

       •  Reduction in creel limits from five to three

       •  Increase in minimum size limit from 21 inches to 26 inches

       •  Points system: increase to 14 points for violation
   
       •  Striped bass must be landed with head and tail intact enabling
           enforcement officers to measure complete fish

The waters to which the new regulations will apply are limited to the Santee Cooper system only.  This includes the waters of the Lower Santee River system, or all waters and tributaries seaward of the Lake Murray Dam, the Columbia Canal Diversion Dam (on the Broad River), and the Lake Wateree Dam to the freshwater/saltwater dividing line on the North Santee River and the South Santee River.  Additional waters affected by this bill include the Cooper River System, which includes all waters and tributaries of the Cooper River, including the Tailrace Canal, from its point of origin seaward to the freshwater/saltwater dividing line.

The regulations, adopted by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Mark Sanford in 2008, were based on recommendations from the Striped Bass Stakeholders Group.

This article is from DNR News:
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/news/yr2009/june8/june8_striper.html

DNR protects and manages South Carolina’s natural resources
by making wise and balanced decisions for the benefit of
the state’s natural resources and its people.