Garden City Pier
OpenGarden City Beach668 ft$7/dayOfficial site
110 S Waccamaw Dr, Garden City Beach, SC 29576668 ft$7/day
Bite score · Garden City Pier
Great Bite
Wind is the main thing going for you.
81/100Confidence: High (every input reporting)Updated 49 min ago
What is driving it
- Tide: Rising · turn in 68 min
- Solunar: 3/5
- Water Temp: 83.2°F
- Time of Day: Midday
- Wind: 7 mph
- Pressure: falling -1.6 mb/3h
These readings come from the stations nearest this pier. Along a 60-mile beach the tide, barometer and moon are shared, so neighbouring piers often score alike — the differences show up in wind, water temperature and sea state.
Next high
4:16 PM
4.9 ft · within the hour
Next low
10:53 PM
1.5 ft · in about 7 hours
Predictions from NOAA CO-OPS · Garden City Pier (ocean). The hour either side of a tide change is usually the hour worth fishing. See the full tide table.
Right now
Conditions at Garden City Pier
Water temp
83.2°F
Air 85°F
Wind
7 kn S
Gusts 6 kn
Tide
Rising
From NOAA CO-OPS
Pressure
1016 mb
Low Hazard
Beach flag: Low Hazard
Calm conditions. Exercise normal caution.
The next four days
Planning a trip later in the week
Only today carries a scored bite — the model runs on current readings, so there is no score for a day that has not happened. The days after today show their solunar rating, which is a sun-and-moon heuristic, not a measurement of the water.
About Garden City Pier
Garden City Pier sits at the southern end of the Grand Strand near Murrells Inlet, one of the most productive fishing estuaries on the East Coast. At 668 feet, it's shorter than some Grand Strand piers, but its proximity to the inlet means excellent fishing for flounder, red drum, and sheepshead. The pier is known for its relaxed, local atmosphere.
House rules
- No cast nets from the pier (SC law on public piers)
- No shark fishing from the pier deck (most piers)
- Keep your area clean. Dispose of bait and fish scraps properly
- Be courteous to other anglers. Don't cast over someone else's line
- Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult
House rules are set by the pier. State-wide size and bag limits are on the regulations page.
18 species
What you can catch at Garden City Pier
4 species are in peak season here right now.
Peak seasonRed Drum (Redfish)
Sciaenops ocellatus
Mar–Nov
Best bait: Live shrimp, cut mullet
Peak seasonFlounder
Paralichthys dentatus
Mar–Nov
Best bait: Live minnows, mud minnows
Peak seasonSpanish Mackerel
Scomberomorus maculatus
Apr–Oct
Best bait: Gotcha plugs, spoons
BitingWhiting (Kingfish)
Menticirrhus spp.
Year-round
Best bait: Shrimp, bloodworms
BitingSheepshead
Archosargus probatocephalus
Jan–Apr
Best bait: Fiddler crabs, barnacles
BitingBlack Drum
Pogonias cromis
Mar–May, Sep–Nov
Best bait: Shrimp, clams, crab
BitingBluefish
Pomatomus saltatrix
Apr–Nov
Best bait: Cut bait, spoons
BitingSpot
Leiostomus xanthurus
Sep–Dec
Best bait: Bloodworms, shrimp bits
Not sure what you caught?
Answer four questions about the shape, the markings and where it hit, and the identifier narrows it to a shortlist of Grand Strand species — worth checking before you decide whether it is legal to keep.
Bait that works here
What to buy on the way
Live Shrimp
liveRed Drum, Flounder, Sheepshead, Black Drum
Rig: Carolina rig or float rig
Bloodworms
liveWhiting, Spot, Croaker, Pompano
Rig: Two-hook bottom rig (pompano rig)
Cut Mullet
cutRed Drum, Black Drum, Bluefish, Sharks
Rig: Fish-finder rig on the bottom
Fiddler Crabs
liveSheepshead, Black Drum, Tautog
Rig: Small hook, light weight, near pilings
Close by
The three nearest piers
Tide, barometer and moon are shared along this stretch of beach, so a neighbouring pier often scores alike — wind, water temperature and sea state are what separate them.
