York County is moving forward with a $21 million plan to open Catawba Bend Preserve, a 1,000-plus-acre tract on the Catawba River that will add a major new fishing and paddling access point for Rock Hill anglers within the next several years. The Charlotte Observer reports the preserve sits along the Catawba River corridor and will include public boat ramps, shoreline access, hiking trails, and natural-surface paddler launches.
For Rock Hill fishing, the significance is bank access. The lower Catawba River below Lake Wylie Dam already holds striped bass, channel catfish, and largemouth bass year-round, but most public access points fill quickly on weekends. Catawba Bend Preserve adds new shoreline frontage to the system and gives kayak anglers a launch closer to the Rock Hill side of the river than the existing Landsford Canal launch.
What Rock Hill anglers can expect
York County planning documents describe a multi-phase opening, with initial trail access expected first and the boat ramp infrastructure following as construction progresses. The preserve fronts a stretch of the Catawba that holds shoal bass, redbreast sunfish, channel catfish, and the occasional flathead, similar to the water already fished from Manchester Creek and Riverwalk.
SCDNR’s Catawba Scenic River designation covers the lower river corridor and brings additional habitat protections, which should preserve the rocky shoal structure that produces the best smallmouth and shoal bass action in York County. The Catawba Scenic River runs from Lake Wylie Dam south through Chester County to Lake Wateree.
Why this matters for the fishing community
Rock Hill’s existing public fishing access is concentrated at Ebenezer Park (Lake Wylie pier and ramp), Manchester Creek (Cherry Park pond), and the Riverwalk/Rock Hill River Park complex at the mouth of Manchester Creek. Catawba Bend Preserve adds the first major new public-water frontage in York County in more than a decade and reduces pressure on the existing ramps during peak striper and crappie seasons.
The preserve also brings the county closer to a continuous Catawba River blueway from Lake Wylie south to Landsford Canal State Park. For multi-day paddle anglers and float-fishing trips, a connected blueway makes Rock Hill a more viable destination for the kayak fishing tournaments that have grown across the Southeast.
Timeline and how to follow
York County Parks and Recreation is the lead agency. Updates on phasing, public meetings, and opening dates are posted at yorkcountygov.com under Parks and Recreation announcements. The full Charlotte Observer report on the $21 million purchase is at charlotteobserver.com.
For Rock Hill anglers, the project is one to watch — particularly for tournament organizers and guides looking for new launch options on the lower Catawba.
Sources: Charlotte Observer (March 2026), York County Parks and Recreation, SCDNR Catawba Scenic River program.