You’ve decided you want to start fishing. Good call. It’s one of the most accessible, rewarding outdoor hobbies out there — and in South Carolina especially, you’re surrounded by water that holds fish within a short drive of almost anywhere in the state.
This guide covers everything you need to go from zero to catching fish on your first trip. No fluff, no gear you don’t need, no overwhelming detail. Just the essentials.
What You Actually Need to Start
The fishing tackle section of any sporting goods store will make you think you need hundreds of dollars of gear. You don’t. Here’s the genuine minimum to get started:
- Rod and reel combo — a spinning combo in the $50–70 range. The Ugly Stik GX2 is the most recommended beginner combo and for good reason. More on this in our gear guide.
- Fishing line — 10lb monofilament already spooled on most combos. Don’t overthink this.
- Hooks — a basic assortment pack covering sizes #4 through #1/0 covers most situations.
- Weights/sinkers — a small pack of split shot weights and a few 1/4 oz bullet weights.
- Bobbers — a few round bobbers or slip bobbers for simple presentations.
- Soft plastics or live bait — a bag of Zoom Trick Worms in green pumpkin, or pick up some nightcrawlers from a bait shop.
- Tackle box — a simple Plano 3600 tray keeps everything organized.
- SC fishing license — required for anyone 16 and older. Buy online at dnr.sc.gov or at Walmart, Bass Pro, or any local bait shop.
Total cost including the combo: under $100. That’s genuinely all you need to catch fish on your first trip.
Ugly Stik GX2 Spinning Combo — 6’6″ Medium
The single most recommended beginner combo by fishing communities everywhere. Durable, sensitive, reliable, and comes with a smooth reel already attached. The 6’6″ Medium handles everything a beginner in SC ponds will encounter.
The One Knot You Need to Know
Before you can fish, you need to tie a hook to your line. There are dozens of fishing knots — you need to know one: the improved clinch knot. It works for hooks, lures, and swivels, holds reliably on mono and braid, and takes about 30 seconds once you’ve practiced it a few times.
Here’s how to tie it:
- Thread 6 inches of line through the hook eye
- Wrap the tag end around the main line 5–6 times
- Pass the tag end through the small loop just above the hook eye
- Pass the tag end through the big loop you just created
- Wet the knot with saliva and pull tight
- Trim the tag end close
Practice this at home before your first trip. Tie it ten times and you’ll have it for life.
The Two Simplest Rigs for Beginners
The Bobber and Hook Setup
Clip a bobber onto your line about 2–3 feet above your hook. Add a small split shot weight just above the hook to help it sink. Bait the hook with a nightcrawler, a small piece of worm, or a soft plastic. Cast it out near some structure — a dock, a fallen tree, a grass edge — and watch the bobber. When it goes under, set the hook. This is the simplest productive fishing setup there is and it catches bass, crappie, bluegill, and catfish.
The Weightless Soft Plastic
Tie a 3/0 EWG offset hook directly to your line. Thread a Zoom Trick Worm onto it weedless style (hook point barely buried in the plastic). Cast near cover, let it sink slowly on a slack line, twitch it gently, let it sink again. Bass eat this constantly. This is the rig that will become your go-to once you’re comfortable with the basics.
Where to Go on Your First Trip
In the Myrtle Beach and Horry County area you have several accessible options:
- Public ponds in county parks — Horry County has several parks with fishing ponds that are free and accessible. Check with Horry County Parks and Recreation for current locations.
- Retention ponds — if you live in or are staying in a subdivision, ask about the pond. Many are fishable with permission and hold surprisingly good bass populations.
- Public boat ramps — most have bank access alongside the ramp itself. The Waccamaw River has multiple public access points in Horry County.
- Fishing piers — if you want to try saltwater, Apache Pier and Cherry Grove Pier both allow walk-on fishing for a daily fee.
See our full guide to fishing spots near Myrtle Beach for more detail.
What to Expect on Your First Trip
Honest expectations matter. Here’s what first-time fishing usually looks like:
You might not catch anything. That’s completely normal and it doesn’t mean you did anything wrong. Fishing has variables — fish aren’t always actively feeding, the spot might not have fish at that moment, conditions might be tough. Experienced anglers get skunked too.
You’ll probably have some gear issues. A tangled line, a lost lure, a bad knot. These are part of the process. Every angler has stories about their first few trips going sideways. It’s how you learn.
When you do catch one, even a small bluegill on a bobber, it’s genuinely exciting. That first fish is the one you’ll remember. From there the learning curve accelerates fast because real-world time on the water teaches you things no article can.
The Most Important Thing
Go fishing. Not after you’ve researched every lure. Not after you’ve bought a better rod. Go with what you have, pick a local pond with bank access, and make some casts. Every hour on the water is worth more than ten hours of research. The fish will teach you the rest.
Check out the rest of our guides when you’re ready to level up — we cover everything from reading a pond for bass to the Texas rig to the best local spots in detail. But first — go fish.
What questions do you have about getting started? Drop them in the comments and we’ll help you out.