In Season Now: Florence Fishing · Oct. 16
- Largemouth Bass March-June (spawn), September-November
From this page's species calendar. Check current SCDNR size and creel limits before you fish.
Florence SC
Fishing
Report
Live conditions, species status, solunar ratings, water body profiles, SCDNR regulations, and community fishing coverage for Florence lakes and rivers.
HEREFlorence is your local source for fishing reports, conditions, and SCDNR regulations across Florence. Use the waters list to find lakes, rivers, and reservoirs near you, the regulations section for current limits, and the guides directory to book a trip.
- Hot air temps push fish deep. Fish 12-20 ft ledges and structure in the heat of the day. Early morning and evening are your windows.
- Falling barometric pressure activates feeding. Fish are on the move — work moving baits and cover water quickly.
multiple public landings
Lynches River State Park
Hartsville-area landings (north of Florence)
Duke Energy public landing
limited public access
Know a Florence-area fishing lake, pond, or river stretch that should be on this list? Let us know.
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Learn About Gear Advertising- Local reservoirs: Boating permit required from Florence Water. Gas motor HP restrictions — check current Florence Water rules before launching.
- Size limits: Confirm black-bass minimums and closures for your specific lake in current SCDNR eRegulations.
- Lake Craig & Edwin Johnson: No gasoline engines — electric trolling motors only. Lake Edwin Johnson also enforces SCDNR creel limits: 10 bream, 3 bass, 3 catfish.
- Free Fishing Days 2026: May 25 (Memorial Day weekend) and July 4 — no fishing license required on these two days.
- Rivers (Pacolet, Tyger, Lawson's Fork): Statewide creel limits apply. No boating permits required. SCDNR fishing license required for anglers 16+.
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Yes. All anglers age 16 and older need a South Carolina fishing license to fish public waters in Florence. Licenses are available at dnr.sc.gov or at local sporting goods and tackle shops. Verify current resident and non-resident fees, senior discounts, and free fishing days with SCDNR.
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Florence anglers fish blackwater rivers and nearby reservoirs, not reservoirs from another SC region. The Great Pee Dee River and Lynches River are the core fisheries for largemouth bass, catfish, redbreast sunfish, and crappie, with public landings and Lynches River State Park access. Black Creek offers Hartsville-area landings north of town. Lake Robinson in Darlington County is the closest big reservoir for striped bass. Sparrow Swamp holds warmouth, bowfin, and panfish where public access allows.
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Crappie in the Pee Dee bite best in late winter through early spring as water warms into the upper 50s and low 60s. Target brush, laydowns, and creek mouths on the Great Pee Dee and Lynches, then slide out to Lake Robinson points and channel swings when fish push deeper after the spawn. A second window opens in fall as water cools.
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Yes — kayak fishing fits Florence waters well. The Lynches River State Park corridor and Great Pee Dee public landings support float-and-fish trips for redbreast, bass, and catfish. Black Creek sections near Hartsville are paddle-friendly. Always wear a PFD and check flow after heavy Pee Dee rains.
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The Great Pee Dee holds largemouth bass, channel and blue catfish, crappie, and redbreast sunfish around landings and creek mouths. The Lynches is a classic blackwater redbreast river with largemouth and catfish mixed in, especially around Lynches River State Park. Both rivers fish best on moderate flows — high muddy water after storms can shut the bite down.
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Florence County is warmwater country. SCDNR trout stocking focuses on Upstate and Midlands tailwaters, not Pee Dee blackwater rivers. Confirm any seasonal stocking notices at dnr.sc.gov before planning a trout trip from Florence.
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