Prices · September 2026
Myrtle Beach fishing charter prices, by trip type
Every trip that runs on the Grand Strand, what it costs, and exactly what the number does and doesn't cover. Every figure is dated and names the source it came from.
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The short answer
How much does a Myrtle Beach fishing charter cost?
A private half-day inshore charter costs $300–525 for the boat. The bottom of that range buys a two-hour trip; a four-hour trip averages $510 and most run $450 to $500. A full-day offshore charter costs $600–1,200, and the eight-hour average is $1,198.
A head boat seat is $49–60/person for four to six hours, the cheapest way onto the water. Summer shark trips run $445–650 for the boat, and a twelve-hour Gulf Stream run is its own tier at $2,000–2,600. A seat on a Gulf Stream head boat is the cheap way to cover that same distance, at $145 to 169 per person.
Boat prices cover up to six anglers. Rods, bait, tackle and the South Carolina licence are included. Food, drinks and the mate's tip (15 to 20 percent, cash, at the dock) are not.
Based on 155 Myrtle Beach listings on FishingBooker plus published rate cards from eight Grand Strand operators, checked September 2026.
Prices checked September 2026 · Murrells Inlet, Little River & North Myrtle BeachThe table
What does each Myrtle Beach charter type cost?
Ranges across operators, not a single boat's price. Where a range is open-ended, the top depends on distance and boat size.
| Trip type | Price | Length | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half-day inshore | $300–525/boatmost run $450–500Checked September 2026 | 4 hours | Best with kids |
| Full-day offshore | $600–1,200/boat8-hour average $1,198Checked September 2026 | 8–10 hours | Most booked |
| Head boat | $49–60/personmost half-day seats are $50–55Checked September 2026 | 4–6 hours | Cheapest seat |
| Gulf Stream run | $2,000–2,600/boat12-hour trips start at $2,000Checked September 2026 | 12+ hours | 12 hours |
| Shark trip | $445–650/boatmost 4-hour trips run $450–650Checked September 2026 | 4–6 hours | Summer only |
| Private charter | $300+/boathalf day $500–750, full day $1,350–1,500Checked September 2026 | 4–12 hours | Your group only |
Based on 155 Myrtle Beach listings on FishingBooker plus published rate cards from eight Grand Strand operators, checked September 2026.
The fine print
What's included in a Myrtle Beach fishing charter price?
The gap between the headline number and what you actually hand over is roughly 20 percent, and almost all of it is the tip.
| Item | Included? | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Rods, reels and tackle | Always | Bring your own only if you have a preference. |
| Bait | Always | Live bait on inshore trips, cut and frozen offshore. |
| South Carolina saltwater licence | Always | Covered by the boat for everyone aboard. |
| Ice and fish box | Always | Bring a soft cooler for your own food and drink. |
| Cleaning and bagging your catch | Usually | A few boats charge for filleting. Ask when booking. |
| Food and drink | Never | Bring more water than you think you need. |
| Mate’s tip | Never | 15–20% of the trip, cash, at the dock. |
| Fuel surcharge | Sometimes | Applied by some operators on Gulf Stream runs. |
The maths
Is a head boat or a private charter cheaper?
The head boat, at every group size, as long as you compare the same trip length. Head boat seats are$49–60/person, so six of them costs $294 to 360. A four-hour private inshore boat typically runs $450 to $500 for the hull, which is $75 to 83 each once you split it six ways.
A private charter does not come out cheaper per head at the same trip length, and a shared boat charges each angler a share of a thirty-seat day, so it cannot. One caveat worth knowing, because most pages skip it: private trips start at $300+, but that floor buys a two-hour trip. Compare a two-hour private boat against a four-hour head boat and the private looks cheaper, because you are pricing half the day. Match the hours first, then compare.
Book private for what it actually buys: your own departure time, the captain fishing your group and nobody else, no waiting for a spot at the rail, one target species instead of whatever the drift gives you, and the option to come in early when a child has had enough. Those are worth real money. They are just not a discount.
One more thing in the head boat's favour: you pay per person, so if two of your six drop out the night before you pay for four. On a private boat you have booked the hull either way.
What the money actually buys
Worth saying plainly, because the table above only counts one side of it. You are paying for a morning in the salt marsh with herons on the bank and dolphins working the same bait, or a sunrise 30 miles out with nothing on the horizon. Families book these trips and talk about the ride and the evening on the dock as much as the cooler.
None of that changes what a trip should cost, which is what the rest of this page is for. It is just the part the price comparison leaves out.
When are Myrtle Beach charters cheapest?
Rates move far less across the year than availability does. The real saving in shoulder season is that the good boats are still free. May, September and October cost about what August costs and have half the demand. Same water, better captains available, better tide slots.
If price is the binding constraint, a weekday head boat in October is the cheapest way onto the Grand Strand's water. If time is the constraint, book March for a July trip and stop reading price pages.
Why don't you list a single price per boat?
Because there isn't one. Charter rates on the Strand move with fuel, boat size, trip length, season and how far the captain has to run to find fish. A page that prints "$325" is quoting one boat on one day and calling it the market. Ranges are honest, and they age better.
Every figure here is dated, and any range still being checked says so next to the number rather than in a footnote.
Questions
Myrtle Beach charter price questions
How much does a fishing charter cost in Myrtle Beach?
As of September 2026, a private half-day inshore charter costs $300–525 for the boat. The bottom of that range is a two-hour trip; a four-hour trip averages $510 and most run $450 to $500. A full-day offshore charter costs $600–1,200, with the eight-hour average at $1,198. A head boat seat is $49–60/person. A twelve-hour Gulf Stream run starts around $2,000–2,600. Boat prices cover up to six anglers.
What is the cheapest way to go fishing in Myrtle Beach?
A head boat seat, at $49–60/person for four to six hours. You buy one seat on a shared boat rather than the whole vessel, and rods, bait and the licence are included. Most half-day seats run $50 to $55, and children's seats are less. Weekday mornings are the least crowded.
How much is a private fishing charter in Myrtle Beach?
Private charters start around $300+ for the boat and run to $2,000–2,600 for a twelve-hour Gulf Stream trip. A half-day inshore trip is $300–525 and a full day offshore is $600–1,200. A private boat takes up to six anglers. Even split six ways that works out higher per person than a head boat seat, so book private for the schedule, the target species and the privacy rather than to save money.
Are tips included in a Myrtle Beach fishing charter price?
No. The mate’s tip is separate and customarily 15 to 20 percent of the trip price, paid in cash at the dock. Budget for it. It is not optional in practice.
Do you need a fishing licence for a Myrtle Beach charter?
No. Licensed South Carolina charter and head boats carry a saltwater licence that covers every angler aboard. It is included in the price and you do not buy your own.
What is not included in a Myrtle Beach charter price?
Food, drinks and the mate’s tip are never included. Fuel surcharges apply on some long offshore runs, and a few boats charge separately for filleting your catch. Rods, reels, bait, tackle, ice and the licence are always included.
When are Myrtle Beach fishing charters cheapest?
Rates move less than availability does. May, September and October cost about the same as August but have half the boats booked, so you get better captains and better tide slots for the same money. November through February is cheapest and quietest, with a shorter list of species running.
All Myrtle Beach fishing charters
Every trip type, who it suits, and where it leaves from.
Deep sea fishing in Myrtle Beach
How far out you go, and what's there when you arrive.
Murrells Inlet fishing charters
The deepest fleet on the Strand, off the MarshWalk.
When to book
Twelve months of Grand Strand demand data.
Seasonal updates
Know what is running before you book
What is biting each month, what a trip costs then, and when to book it. A few emails a year, sent when the seasons turn.
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