2026 regulation year
Winyah Bay + Waccamaw / Pee Dee / Black / Sampit Rivers (Georgetown) 2026 — South Carolina Fishing Regulations
South Carolina statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Winyah Bay + Waccamaw / Pee Dee / Black / Sampit Rivers (Georgetown) carries a special-regulation overlay on top of South Carolina's 2026 fishing rules. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
Saltwater licence on tidal reaches — red drum, spotted seatrout, flounder, sheepshead; freshwater licence above the salt line; tarpon migration July – September offshore
Official source
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources publishes the authoritative 2026 South Carolina fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official South Carolina fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to South Carolina Department of Natural Resources's emergency-order feed — check it before any South Carolina trip during the active season.
Other special-regulation waters in South Carolina
- ACE Basin (Ashepoo + Combahee + Edisto Rivers)
- Atlantic coast (Little River Inlet to Hilton Head)
- Beaufort + Port Royal Sound
- Bonneau Ferry WMA Lake (SCDNR State Lake, Berkeley County)
- Charleston Harbor + Cooper / Wando / Ashley Rivers (tidal)
- Chattooga River (SC/GA Wild & Scenic River corridor)
- Congaree + Wateree rivers
- Cooper River
- Dargan's Pond (SCDNR State Lake, Darlington County)
- Draper WMA Lakes (SCDNR State Lakes, York County)
- Eastatoee Creek (Eastatoee Creek Heritage Preserve)
- Edisto River
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Winyah Bay + Waccamaw / Pee Dee / Black / Sampit Rivers (Georgetown)?
- Winyah Bay + Waccamaw / Pee Dee / Black / Sampit Rivers (Georgetown) carries one special-regulation overlay that overrides South Carolina's statewide 2026 rules. It reads: "Saltwater licence on tidal reaches — red drum, spotted seatrout, flounder, sheepshead; freshwater licence above the salt line; tarpon migration July – September offshore." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Winyah Bay + Waccamaw / Pee Dee / Black / Sampit Rivers (Georgetown)?
- Yes. Winyah Bay + Waccamaw / Pee Dee / Black / Sampit Rivers (Georgetown) is in South Carolina, so a valid South Carolina fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Winyah Bay system; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide South Carolina rules.
- Do Winyah Bay + Waccamaw / Pee Dee / Black / Sampit Rivers (Georgetown)'s special rules replace South Carolina's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. South Carolina's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Winyah Bay system by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rule for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.