Where and How Far Boats Run
The local fleet’s trip lengths mark the distances. Most sea bass runs fall between 10 and 40 miles. The wider picture is in the black sea bass fishing in the Atlantic Southeast and the Atlantic Southeast region guide.
- 10 to 20 mi: Salty Hooker’s half-day trip. Its full-day trip also lists black sea bass.
- 20 to 30 mi: Reel Myrtle Beach’s 6-hour trip.
- 20 to 40 mi: Crazy Sister’s 8-hour "Continental Shelf" head boat, run for "larger" black sea bass.
- About 60 mi: The Winyah Scarp, the far end of the structure range.
Crazy Sister also runs a 4.5-hour "Sea Bass" head boat. For seasonal movement and biology, see the black sea bass species guide. Before a 20 to 40 mile run, check the official marine forecast for wind, wave height and period.
Grounds and Structure That Hold Black Sea Bass
Black sea bass fishing out of Murrells Inlet centers on about 70 to 110 ft of water, while the buoyed reefs closest to the inlet sit at 23 to 45 ft. That gap decides how far you run and which waypoints you need. Bill Perry and BP-25 bridge into the deeper band.
| Reef | Depth (ft) | Marking / position |
|---|---|---|
| Paradise (with H.P. Springs Jr. and other add-on reefs) | 30 to 35 | 2 buoys |
| Ten Mile | 34 to 45 | 2 buoys |
| Pawley’s Island | 23 to 35 | 1 buoy; 177°, 5.5 nm from the south jetty |
| Bill Perry | 65 | 1 buoy |
| BP-25 | 90 to 95 | Unmarked 160 ft ship |
| Will Goldfinch | – | 175 ft ship (YO-225), 33 17.005 N / 078 45.372 W |
| Nearshore ledges (wahoo and blackfin ledges) | 140 to 250 | – |
| Winyah Scarp | – | About 60 miles out |
The same reefs hold other bottom species, covered in our reef fish guides.
Buoyed Nearshore Reefs
Paradise Reef (with H.P. Springs Jr. and the other add-on reefs), Ten Mile Reef and Pawley’s Island Reef all sit shallower than the 70 to 110 ft band, at 23 to 45 ft. Paradise and Ten Mile carry 2 buoys each. Pawley’s Island carries 1 buoy, at 177 degrees and 5.5 nm from the south jetty. These are the marked water for anyone new to the grounds.
Into the Depth Band
Bill Perry Reef sits at 65 ft with 1 buoy. BP-25 sits at 90 to 95 ft, inside the band. It is an unmarked 160 ft ship, so you need a waypoint to find it.
Wrecks With a Waypoint
Will Goldfinch Reef is a 175 ft ship, YO-225, at 33 17.005 N / 078 45.372 W. Coordinate-only wrecks like this and BP-25 are found by waypoint, with Chart Contours showing the bottom around them. Chart layers are not for navigation.
Ledges and the Scarp
The nearshore ledges, also called the wahoo and blackfin ledges, sit at 140 to 250 ft. The Winyah Scarp is about 60 miles out. Both lie beyond the core depth band.
How They’re Fished Locally
Local boats bottom fish with a two-hook bottom rig in about 70 to 110 ft, as shown on Crazy Sister’s jigging trip page. The setup is simple: the rig is fished on the bottom over structure.
Who Fishes Black Sea Bass Out of Murrells Inlet
Four local operations list black sea bass. Their trips set the distance benchmarks above.
- Crazy Sister Marina: Head boats New Inlet Princess and Crazy Sister (110 ft). Crazy Sister’s sea bass trip runs 4.5 hours. The 8-hour "Continental Shelf" trip runs 20 to 40 miles.
- Marlin Quay Marina: Its fleet menu lists Carolina Fly and Grand Slam.
- Salty Hooker Fishing Charters: The half-day trip runs 10 to 20 miles, and a full-day trip is also listed.
- Reel Myrtle Beach Fishing Charters: Captain Matt runs a 32 ft center console from Murrells Inlet Marina. The 6-hour trip runs 20 to 30 miles.
FAQ: Black Sea Bass Off Murrells Inlet
How far do boats run for black sea bass fishing out of Murrells Inlet?
Local trips run 10 to 20, 20 to 30 and 20 to 40 miles. The 20 to 40 mile trip is Crazy Sister’s 8-hour "Continental Shelf" trip for "larger" fish. The Winyah Scarp is about 60 miles out.
What depth holds black sea bass off Murrells Inlet?
The core band is about 70 to 110 ft. The buoyed nearshore reefs sit at 23 to 45 ft. Bill Perry is at 65 ft, and BP-25 is at 90 to 95 ft.
Which reefs are buoyed?
Paradise and Ten Mile have 2 buoys each. Pawley’s Island and Bill Perry have 1 buoy each. BP-25 is unmarked.
Where is BP-25?
BP-25 is an unmarked 160 ft ship in 90 to 95 ft, so you need a waypoint. Will Goldfinch (YO-225) is a separate wreck at 33 17.005 N / 078 45.372 W.
What rig do local boats use?
A two-hook bottom rig, fished on the bottom in about 70 to 110 ft.
When are black sea bass around?
The black sea bass species guide covers seasonal movement, and the South Carolina regulations page covers open seasons.
