Half-day inshore
Flat water, short run, constant bites. Redfish, trout and flounder. The trip to book if anyone in your group has never been on a boat.
$300–500/boatRange under verification
Check ratesGrand Strand fishing
Six charters leave Murrells Inlet before sunrise. Here's how to pick yours.
Half-day inshore, 12-hour Gulf Stream, or a $40–100 seat on a head boat — we price every trip type, say who it suits, and tell you when it isn't worth it.
$40–100
Head boat, per person
$300–500
Inshore private, per boat
$800–1,500
Offshore private, per boat
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The short answer
What does a Myrtle Beach fishing charter cost?
A seat on a head boat runs $40–100/person for four to six hours — the cheapest way onto the water and the right call with young kids. Aprivate inshore charter runs $300–500 for the boat, typically four to six anglers, and stays in the creeks and inlet.Offshore private trips run $800–1,500 depending on how far out you go; 12-hour Gulf Stream runs start around $1,400+ and sit above that range.
Most families do best on a half-day inshore trip. The full day is worth it in May and June, when the fish are close and the water is calm. It usually isn't in August, when afternoon storms cut trips short.
Ranges under verification · Murrells Inlet, Little River & North Myrtle BeachTrip types
Pick the trip before you pick the boat
The biggest mistake visitors make is booking by price. Start with how far out you want to go and who's coming.
Full-day offshore
Bottom fishing over live reef for grouper, snapper and amberjack. Long enough to reach real structure, short enough to be back for dinner.
$800–1,500/boatRange under verification
Check ratesHead boat
You buy one seat, not the whole boat. Rod, bait and license included. Crowded on summer weekends — go on a weekday morning.
$40–100/personRange under verification
Check ratesGulf Stream run
Mahi, tuna and wahoo in blue water. Leaves before dawn and it’s a long ride each way. Skip it if anyone gets seasick.
$1,400+/boatRange under verification
Check ratesShark trip
Blacktip and spinner sharks a few miles off the beach, June through August. Big fight, short run, and everyone gets a turn on the rod.
$500–700/boatRange under verification
Check ratesPrivate charter
The whole boat and the captain’s full attention. Worth it for groups of four or more — split six ways it often beats head boat seats.
$400+/boatRange under verification
Check ratesDeparture points
Where the boats actually leave from
"Myrtle Beach fishing charter" almost always means a dock somewhere else. Here's who leaves from where, and how far you'll drive.
Murrells Inlet
~20 min south
The deepest fleet on the Strand. Inshore, nearshore and offshore, all off the MarshWalk.
Little River
~35 min north
Head boats and long Gulf Stream runs. The quickest ocean access on the north end.
North Myrtle Beach
~25 min north
Private inshore and shark trips, plus most of the family-boat operators.
Myrtle Beach
In town
Fewer docks than you'd think. Most in-town bookings sail out of one of the other three.
The booking clock
Everyone books in July. The boats you want are gone by then.
Charter demand on the Strand across a full year. July is nearly ten times November — and March is when the planners move.
Book in March
March demand jumps past April and May — that's families locking in summer trips months ahead. Book a July charter in March and you get first pick of captain and tide.
Go in shoulder season
May and September fish well and cost the same as August. Half the boats, same water. October is the local's secret and almost nobody is out there.
Read first
The guides worth ten minutes before you book
What a Myrtle Beach fishing charter really costs in 2026
Every trip type priced, with what's included and what isn't.
Deep sea vs. inshore: which is worth it?
How far out you need to go to catch what you're picturing.
Head boat or private charter with a family of four?
Where the math flips — and it's sooner than most people think.
Shark fishing on the Strand: season, cost, and what you'll see
June to August, close to shore, all catch and release.
Murrells Inlet vs. Little River: where should you sail from?
Drive time, fleet depth, and which one suits your trip.
The best month to fish Myrtle Beach
Month by month, what's running and what it costs.
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The month-by-month Myrtle Beach fishing calendar
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