South Carolina Code of Regulations
Chapter 123 - DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Article 5.5 - REGULATION OF REAL PROPERTY OWNED AND LEASED BY THE DEPARTMENT
Section 123-209 - Term and Conditions for the Public's Use of State Lakes and Ponds Owned by the Department of Natural Resources
Universal Citation: SC Code Regs 123-209
Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 9, September 27, 2024
A. Pursuant to the conditions provided in 1976 Code Section 50-11-2200 prohibiting certain acts and conduct on state lakes owned or leased by the department, regulations defining the terms and conditions for public use of state lakes owned by the Department are as follows:
a. Draper WMA State Lakes in York County
i. The lakes are open for fishing from
one-half hour before official sunrise to one-half hour after official sunset,
every day except Tuesday. The ponds are closed to fishing on
Tuesdays.
ii. Fishing is allowed
with only rod and reels or poles. The statewide limit on the number of these
devices applies.
iii. No minnows
allowed for bait.
iv. Combined
daily fish limits from all ponds are 3 largemouth bass, 15 bream to include
redbreast sunfish, and 3 catfish. Statewide limits apply for all other fish
species, except no size limit for crappie.
v. Trails are for walking or fishing access
only; no ATVs, motorized vehicles, or horses allowed on these trails.
vi. Pets must be on leashes or under the
control of their owner at all times.
vii. No boats are allowed in ponds.
viii. The possession or consumption of
alcoholic beverages is prohibited on department lake properties, except as by
special permit from the department.
b. Lake Cherokee in Cherokee County
i. The lake is open to fishing 24 hours a
day. The lake is open for other allowed purposes from one-half hour before
official sunrise until one-half hour after official sunset.
ii. Fishing is allowed with only rod and
reels or poles. The statewide limit on the number of these devices
applies.
iii. Daily fish limits are
5 largemouth bass, 10 bream to include redbreast sunfish, and 3 catfish.
Statewide limits apply for all other fish species, except no size limit on
crappie.
iv. Vehicles are
restricted to roads and designated access areas only.
v. Trails are for walking or fishing access
only; no ATVs, motorized vehicles, or horses allowed on these trails.
vi. Pets must be on leashes or under the
control of their owner at all times.
vii. Boats are allowed but may only be
propelled by paddle or electric trolling motors.
viii. The possession or consumption of
alcoholic beverages is prohibited on department lake properties, except as by
special permit from the department.
c. Lake Edgar Brown in Barnwell County
i. The lake is open to fishing 24 hours a
day. The lake is open for other allowed purposes from one-half hour before
official sunrise until one-half hour after official sunset.
ii. Fishing is allowed with only rod and
reels or poles. The statewide limit on the number of these devices
applies.
iii. Daily fish limits are
3 largemouth bass 16 inches or longer, 20 bream to include redbreast sunfish,
and 3 catfish. Statewide limits apply for all other fish species, except no
size limit on crappie.
iv. Vehicles
are restricted to roads and designated access areas only. No motorized vehicles
of any type allowed on dikes.
v.
Trails are for walking or fishing access only; no ATVs, motorized vehicles, or
horses allowed on these trails.
vi.
Pets must be on leashes or under the control of their owner at all
times.
vii. Motor powered boats are
allowed. North of Wellington Road only outboard motors rated at 10 horsepower
or less are allowed.
viii. The
possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on department
lake properties, except as by special permit from the
department.
d. Lake
George Warren in Hampton County
i. The lake is
open to fishing 24 hours a day. The lake is open for other allowed purposes
from one-half hour before official sunrise until one-half hour after official
sunset.
ii. Fishing is allowed with
only rod and reels or poles. The statewide limit on the number of these devices
applies.
iii. Daily fish limits are
3 largemouth bass, 20 bream to include redbreast sunfish, and 3 catfish.
Statewide limits apply for all other fish species, except no size limit on
crappie.
iv. Vehicles are
restricted to roads and designated access areas only.
v. Trails are for walking or fishing access
only; no ATVs, motorized vehicles, or horses allowed on these trails.
vi. Pets must be on leashes or under the
control of their owner at all times.
vii. Boats are allowed, but may only be
propelled by paddle, electric trolling motors or outboard motors rated at 10
horsepower or less.
viii. The
possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on department
lake properties, except as by special permit from the
department.
e. Lake John
D. Long in Union County
i. The lake is open
from one-half hour before official sunrise until one-half hour after official
sunset.
ii. Fishing is allowed with
only rod and reels or poles. The statewide limit on the number of these devices
applies.
iii. Daily fish limits are
5 largemouth bass, 10 bream to include redbreast sunfish, and 5 catfish.
Statewide limits apply for all other fish species, except no size limit on
crappie.
iv. Vehicles are
restricted to roads and designated access areas only.
v. Trails are for walking or fishing access
only; no ATVs, motorized vehicles, or horses allowed on these trails.
vi. Pets must be on leashes or under the
control of their owner at all times.
vii. No minnows allowed for bait.
viii. Boats are allowed but may only be
propelled by paddle or electric trolling motors.
ix. The possession or consumption of
alcoholic beverages is prohibited on department lake properties, except as by
special permit from the department.
f. Mountain Lakes in Chester County
i. Mountain Lakes 1 (large lake, 42 acres) is
open on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from one-half hour before
official sunrise to one-half hour after official sunset. Mountain Lakes 2
(small lake, 7 acres) is open on Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday from one-half
hour before official sunrise to one-half hour after official sunset.
ii. Fishing is allowed with only rod and
reels or poles. The statewide limit on the number of these devices
applies.
iii. Daily fish limits for
Mountain Lakes 1 are 3 largemouth bass, 10 bream to include redbreast sunfish,
and 3 catfish. Statewide limits apply for all other fish species, except no
size limit for crappie. Daily fish limits for Mountain Lakes 2 are 2 largemouth
bass, 10 bream to include redbreast sunfish and 3 catfish. Statewide limits
apply for all other fish species, except no size limit for crappie.
iv. Vehicles are restricted to roads and
designated access areas only.
v.
Trails are for walking or fishing access only; no ATVs, motorized vehicles, or
horses allowed on these trails.
vi.
Pets must be on leashes or under the control of their owner at all
times.
vii. No minnows allowed for
bait.
viii. Boats are allowed but
may only be propelled by paddle or electric trolling motors.
ix. The possession or consumption of
alcoholic beverages is prohibited on department lake properties, except as by
special permit from the department.
g. Lake Paul Wallace in Marlboro County
i. The fishing side of the lake is open to
fishing 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, and open for other allowed purposes from
one-half hour before official sunrise until one-half hour after official
sunset. The boating side of the lake is open for fishing and other allowed
purposes from one-half hour before official sunrise until one-half hour after
official sunset.
ii. Fishing is
allowed with only rod and reels or poles. The statewide limit on the number of
these devices applies.
iii. Daily
limits are 3 largemouth bass, 20 bream to include redbreast sunfish and 5
catfish. Statewide limits apply for all other fish species, except no size
limit for crappie.
iv. No minnows
allowed for bait.
v. Vehicles are
restricted to roads and designated access areas only.
vi. Trails are for walking or fishing access
only; no ATVs, motorized vehicles, or horses allowed on these trails.
vii. Pets must be on leashes or under the
control of their owner at all times.
viii. The possession or consumption of
alcoholic beverages is prohibited on department lake properties, except as by
special permit from the department.
ix. Lake may be closed for special use
activities by special permit from the department.
x. The department may issue to the Lake Paul
Wallace Authority (the Authority) permits with conditions whereby the Authority
may provide for fireworks shows and/or designate a public swimming area on the
Lake Paul Wallace property provided that the Authority ensures that such
actions comply with all local and state laws, regulations and ordinances
applicable to fireworks displays and/or public swimming areas.
xi. Lake Wallace Fishing Side (East of the
earthen dike that separates the two lake portions)
1. Boats are allowed, but may only be
propelled by paddle, electric trolling motors, or outboard motors rated at 10
horsepower or less.
xii.
Lake Wallace Boating Side (West of the earthen dike which separates the two
lake portions)
1. Boats and water skiing are
allowed and must follow a counter-clockwise route of travel.
2. Jet Ski or personal watercraft are allowed
but not within 200 feet of boats.
3. All other South Carolina watercraft rules
and regulations apply.
h. Lake Thicketty in Cherokee County
i. The lake is open to fishing 7 days a week
24 hours a day. The lake is open for other allowed purposes from one-half hour
before official sunrise until one-half hour after official sunset.
ii. Fishing is allowed with only rod and
reels or poles. The statewide limit on the number of these devices
applies.
iii. Daily fish limits are
5 largemouth bass, 20 bream to include redbreast sunfish, and 5 catfish.
Statewide limits apply for all other fish species, except no size limit on
crappie.
iv. Vehicles are
restricted to roads and designated access areas only.
v. Trails are for walking or fishing access
only; no ATVs, motorized vehicles, or horses allowed on these trails.
vi. Pets must be on leashes or under the
control of their owner at all times.
vii. Boats are allowed, but may only be
propelled by paddle, electric trolling motors or outboard motors rated at 10
horsepower or less.
viii. The
possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on department
lake properties, except as by special permit from the
department.
i. Dunn's
Pond on Hamilton Ridge
i. The lakes are open
for fishing Monday through Saturday from one-half hour before official sunrise
until one-half hour after official sunset except for Monday afternoons, Tuesday
mornings, Friday afternoon, and Saturday morning during scheduled deer hunts
(October 1 - January 1).
ii.
Fishing is allowed with only rod and reels or poles. The statewide limit on the
number of these devices applies.
iii. Daily fish limits are 5 largemouth bass,
and 5 bream to include redbreast sunfish. Statewide limits apply for all other
fish species, except no size limit on crappie.
iv. Vehicles are restricted to roads and
designated access areas only.
v.
Trails are for walking or fishing access only; no ATVs, motorized vehicles, or
horses allowed on these trails.
vi.
Pets must be on leashes or under the control of their owner at all
times.
vii. No minnows allowed for
bait.
viii. Boats are allowed but
may only be propelled by paddle or electric trolling motors.
ix. The possession or consumption of
alcoholic beverages is prohibited on department lake properties, except as by
special permit from the department.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. South Carolina may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.