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504-acre Hamlin Sound fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo contours (96.88% measured and assessed), exact NOAA ESI fish and nursery occurrence, measured pier and depth-transition spots, two verified access sites, three forage calendars, shellfish-area context and current South Carolina rules. The water tops out around 11 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to NAVD88; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The channels, holes and drop-offs come from the source data, not a distance-from-shore model. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
The outline encloses 505 acres, worked by 7.6 miles of shoreline, with 3 islands in the mix. An index of 2.4 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. End to end it runs roughly 1.7 mi, about 0.9 mi across. If the bite dies, Bullyard Sound is 2 mi to the east.
Spring red drum (redfish) on Hamlin Sound hold shallow, usually 1 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 11 ft, and by winter most fish are in 2 to 11 ft. The chart's best answer is Surveyed shallow flat — feeding flat, 5 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed shallow flat (5 ft) | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 11 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (2 ft) | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 2 to 11 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed shallow flat (5 ft) | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 2 to 11 ft | midday & dawn | Deepest measured basin (7 ft) | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Spring puts spotted seatrout in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 11 ft; cold water stacks them in 3 to 11 ft. Deepest measured basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for winter spotted seatrout. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed shallow flat (5 ft) | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 3 to 11 ft | dawn | NOAA charted pier (2 ft) | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 11 ft | dawn | Surveyed shallow flat (5 ft) | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 3 to 11 ft | midday & dusk | Deepest measured basin (7 ft) | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
Early season southern flounder use the shallows, holding in 1 to 11 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 11 ft; winter keeps them in 3 to 11 ft. The chart's best answer is NOAA charted pier — dock line, 2 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a jighead + gulp swimming mullet or a bucktail tipped with shrimp and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 11 ft | dawn | Surveyed shallow flat (5 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (white/chartreuse), Bucktail + Gulp shrimp |
| Summer | 2 to 11 ft | dawn | NOAA charted pier (2 ft) | Jighead + Gulp swimming mullet, Bucktail tipped with shrimp |
| Fall | 2 to 11 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (5 ft) | 3/8 oz bucktail + Gulp (passes), Big paddletail on the jetty edge |
| Winter | 3 to 11 ft | midday | Deepest measured basin (7 ft) | Slow jig + scented grub in the holes |
Come spring, look for black drum tight to the bank in 2 to 11 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 11 ft; the winter hold is 3 to 11 ft. If you only fish one area, make it NOAA charted pier: a dock line around 2 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A shrimp imitation dragged slowly or a small crab jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 11 ft | midday & dusk | NOAA charted pier (2 ft) | Crab-tipped bottom jig, Shrimp on a jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 11 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (2 ft) | Shrimp imitation dragged slowly, Small crab jig |
| Fall | 2 to 11 ft | dawn | Surveyed channel edge (5 ft) | Crab-tipped jig, Scented shrimp jig |
| Winter | 3 to 11 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (5 ft) | Heavy bottom jig + crab |
Early season sheepshead use the shallows, holding in 2 to 11 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 11 ft; winter keeps them in 3 to 11 ft. Put NOAA charted pier first on the milk run — a dock line near 2 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a small jig + crab piece and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 11 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted pier (2 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + fiddler, Sheepshead jig + shrimp piece |
| Summer | 2 to 11 ft | dawn | NOAA charted pier (2 ft) | Small jig + crab piece |
| Fall | 3 to 11 ft | midday | NOAA charted pier (2 ft) | Jighead + shrimp, Small crab jig |
| Winter | 3 to 11 ft | midday | NOAA charted pier (2 ft) | Heavier jig + crab (deep pilings) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 7 features, led in depth by Deepest measured basin at roughly 7 ft.
Access data: City of Isle of Palms — IOP Public Dock. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for South Carolina waters are set by the South Carolina DNR (saltwater) — and special regulations can apply to Hamlin Sound specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official South Carolina fishing regulations →
Hamlin Sound is about 11 ft (3 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to NAVD88; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target red drum (redfish), spotted seatrout, southern flounder, black drum, sheepshead on Hamlin Sound.
NOAA charted pier is the top-rated area: a dock line in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for sheepshead in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For red drum (redfish), the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Hamlin Sound is regulated by the South Carolina DNR (saltwater). Check the official South Carolina regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Bullyard Sound 2 mi · Cooper River 12 mi · Bulls Bay 17 mi · Lake Moultrie 37 mi · Great Pee Dee River 54 mi, SC/NC · Lake Marion 59 mi · Calibogue Sound 83 mi · Wright River 86 mi, SC/GA · Congaree River 97 mi · Shallotte Inlet 109 mi, NC · Shallotte River 110 mi, NC/SC · Lake Robinson 113 mi
Browse all South Carolina fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 97% measured, 0% source-interpolated). How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.