FishCondishWinyah Bay, SC Fishing Report & Live Conditions
Winyah Bay, SC fishing report
Winyah Bay fishes like a different world depending on the season. Spring pushes striped bass through the bay and up the Pee Dee and Waccamaw river mouths as fish stage between wintering grounds and cooler upriver haunts. Bluefish arrive close behind and tear through baitfish schools near the jetties well into fall. Summer belongs to fluke drifting the sandy channel edges and black sea bass stacking on the jetty rocks. Weakfish show unpredictably but reward patient anglers working deeper holes after dark. Tautog claim the rockier jetty structure through cooler months, while kingfish run the surf and shallower bay bottom from late spring into early fall.
Work the outgoing tide hard, especially where the Sampit or Pee Dee river flow meets saltwater, because that current edge concentrates baitfish and predators stack underneath. Fluke respond well to gulp-style soft plastics bounced slowly along sandy drop-offs, and tautog demand fiddler crabs or green crabs wedged tight to the jetty base. For stripers, suspending plugs and live spot or mullet fished in moving water near channel bends are reliable. When water temperature climbs above eighty degrees, fish move deep or nocturnal, so target dawn tides. Persistent southwest wind pushes murky river water across the bay and kills bite quality, while a shift to north or northeast clears things quickly and turns fish active.
Winyah Bay, SC tide times
The closest NOAA tide station to Winyah Bay, SC is Georgetown Lighthouse (station 8662747), about 0.4 miles away. Predictions below are referenced to MLLW in local time.
| Date | Tides |
|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 1 | ▼ Low 4:48 AM 0.3 ft▲ High 10:44 AM 3.7 ft▼ Low 4:52 PM 0.4 ft▲ High 11:03 PM 4.1 ft |
| Sun, Aug 2 | ▼ Low 5:24 AM 0.2 ft▲ High 11:23 AM 3.8 ft▼ Low 5:37 PM 0.5 ft▲ High 11:39 PM 4 ft |
| Mon, Aug 3 | ▼ Low 6:03 AM 0.1 ft▲ High 12:06 PM 4 ft▼ Low 6:26 PM 0.7 ft |
| Tue, Aug 4 | ▲ High 12:20 AM 3.9 ft▼ Low 6:46 AM 0.1 ft▲ High 12:55 PM 4.1 ft▼ Low 7:21 PM 0.9 ft |
| Wed, Aug 5 | ▲ High 1:09 AM 3.8 ft▼ Low 7:36 AM 0.1 ft▲ High 1:51 PM 4.2 ft▼ Low 8:25 PM 1 ft |
| Thu, Aug 6 | ▲ High 2:06 AM 3.6 ft▼ Low 8:32 AM 0.1 ft▲ High 2:53 PM 4.3 ft▼ Low 9:32 PM 1 ft |
| Fri, Aug 7 | ▲ High 3:10 AM 3.5 ft▼ Low 9:33 AM 0 ft▲ High 4:00 PM 4.4 ft▼ Low 10:40 PM 0.9 ft |
| Sat, Aug 8 | ▲ High 4:20 AM 3.5 ft▼ Low 10:37 AM 0 ft▲ High 5:10 PM 4.5 ft▼ Low 11:46 PM 0.7 ft |
| Sun, Aug 9 | ▲ High 5:33 AM 3.6 ft▼ Low 11:43 AM -0.2 ft▲ High 6:18 PM 4.7 ft |
| Mon, Aug 10 | ▼ Low 12:48 AM 0.4 ft▲ High 6:41 AM 3.7 ft▼ Low 12:46 PM -0.3 ft▲ High 7:20 PM 4.8 ft |
Tide predictions from NOAA CO-OPS, regenerated daily. For the live water level, wind, and today's fishing score, open the Winyah Bay, SC dashboard.
What's biting near Winyah Bay, SC
The species most likely to be feeding the bay, the jetties, and the river mouths: striped bass, fluke (summer flounder), bluefish, black sea bass, tautog, weakfish, and kingfish. FishCondish grades every hour of the day for Winyah Bay, SC and gives each species its own bite forecast, so you can see which window is worth fishing before you load the truck.
Winyah Bay, SC fishing FAQ
What fish can you catch at Winyah Bay, SC?
The species bite forecast for Winyah Bay, SC covers what's likely feeding there, including striped bass, fluke (summer flounder), bluefish, black sea bass, tautog, weakfish, and kingfish — and updates with the live conditions.
What's the best time of day to fish Winyah Bay, SC?
Dawn and dusk are usually the strongest windows at Winyah Bay, SC, especially when they line up with moving water around a tide change. FishCondish grades every hour of the day so you can pick the best one.
When is the best season to fish Winyah Bay, SC?
Spring and fall typically bring the most active fishing along the bay, the jetties, and the river mouths as fish migrate and feed heavily, with summer steady for warm-water species. It varies year to year, so check the live score before you head out.
How do I know if it's a good day to fish Winyah Bay, SC?
FishCondish combines wind, tide movement, water temperature, pressure trend, and moon phase into a single 1–10 fishing score for Winyah Bay, SC, updated in real time — a quick go/no-go read before you make the trip.
Fishing tips for Winyah Bay, SC
New to these waters? Start with these beginner-friendly guides: