Best Spots for Fall Fishing & Kayaking on the Waccamaw

When the humidity finally breaks, the Waccamaw River turns into one of the best places on the Grand Strand to spend a morning. The cypress-lined water south of Conway stays calm and current-friendly for paddlers, and fall brings some of the year’s best inshore fishing as redfish and flounder push toward the coast. Here’s where locals launch, who to call for a guided trip, and what’s actually biting this season.

Where to Launch on the Waccamaw

The river runs from Lake Waccamaw in North Carolina down through Conway to Winyah Bay, and there are several free, well-maintained public access points along the way.

• Conway Riverwalk & Conway City Marina, downtown Conway. The Riverwalk boardwalk leads to the city marina, where paddlers and boaters can launch free of charge; it’s the easiest put-in if you want a short, scenic paddle past downtown.
• Bucksport Landing, off Hwy 701 south of Conway. A marina with a boat ramp, kayak rentals, bait and tackle, and plenty of parking; it’s a popular put-in for both paddlers heading into the cypress swamp and anglers running upriver.
• Pitch Landing, 100 Pitch Landing Road, Conway. Two boat ramps, a floating dock, and a sandy beach for paddlers, with no launch fee.
• Reaves Ferry Landing, 5880 Old Reaves Ferry Road, Conway. A quieter public landing with a single ramp and floating dock, good for launching upriver toward the state line.

Guided Kayak Tours & Rentals

If you’d rather leave the navigating to someone else, a handful of local outfitters run trips on the Waccamaw and its blackwater tributaries.

• Waccamaw Outfitters, 4 Elm Street, Conway. A family-owned shop offering kayak and pontoon rentals plus guided tours right from downtown Conway (843-488-3121).
• Black River Outdoors, based near Murrells Inlet. Guided kayak tours through the Waccamaw near Sandy Island, the largest undeveloped freshwater island on the East Coast, departing from Wacca Wache Landing.
• Great Escapes Kayak Expeditions, North Myrtle Beach. The area’s original kayak outfitter, running Waccamaw River tours along with trips to Waties Island and Cherry Grove Marsh.

Fall Fishing: What’s Biting

Cooling water triggers some of the best inshore fishing of the year around the Waccamaw and its connected creeks.

• Redfish move into the river’s creeks and grass edges as the water cools, feeding aggressively before winter. Live shrimp and cut mullet fished on the bottom near structure are hard to beat.
• Flounder go on their fall run through October, sliding out of the backwaters toward inlets and the Intracoastal Waterway as water temperatures drop. A mud minnow fished slow along the bottom, or a soft plastic on a jighead, both work well near creek mouths and other current breaks.
• The bite typically holds up into November until water temperatures drop into the low 50s, so a fall trip still has a wide window.

Tips for a Fall Trip on the River

A few small things make a fall paddle or fishing trip on the Waccamaw go smoother.

• Go mid-morning. Fall mornings can start chilly and foggy on the water; temperatures usually climb into comfortable paddling range by 9 or 10 a.m.
• Watch the tide. The lower Waccamaw is tidally influenced; check a Conway tide chart before you launch so you’re not paddling against an outgoing current on the way back.
• Layer up. Water temperatures drop faster than air temperatures in fall; a light waterproof layer and a dry bag for extra clothes are worth the trunk space.
• Watch for boat traffic near the landings. Bucksport and the Conway City Marina see a mix of kayaks, pontoons, and fishing boats, especially on fall weekends.

Whether you’re chasing a limit of redfish or just want a quiet paddle under the cypress trees, the Waccamaw is at its best right now. Pick a landing, check the tide, and get out on the water before the good weather window closes.