Updated: Thursday, September 24, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, October 1, 2026
This Savannah / Coastal Georgia fishing report covers late September, when the Georgia coast shifts into fall. The water is starting to cool, the shrimp are moving out of the marshes and the fish are feeding up. Redfish and black drum lead the way around docks, oyster bars and creek mouths, speckled trout are rebounding in the creeks and the last tarpon roll in the sounds. The Saturday full moon brings tides well over 8 feet, so tide timing is the condition to plan around.
What’s Hitting
Redfish and black drum feed around the docks, oyster bars and creek mouths. Speckled trout are rebounding and feeding on shrimp in the creeks and along the grass edges. The last of the tarpon still roll in the sounds, and bull reds sit at the mouths of the sounds and around the jetties at Tybee. Sheepshead are active on the structure.
Where to Find Them
Look for reds and black drum around the docks, oyster bars and creek mouths in the Wilmington River, the Bull River and around Skidaway Island. The creeks off the Wilmington River and the shell banks along the Bull River are consistent producers for reds and trout. Trout spread through the creeks and along the grass edges throughout the area.
Tarpon roam Wassaw and Ossabaw sounds, and bull reds work the mouths of the sounds and the Tybee Island jetties.
Tides & Conditions
Georgia has some of the largest tides on the East Coast, and the Saturday full moon produces tides well over 8 feet. That means strong currents, so plan your trip around the tides. Expect water temperatures in the upper 70s, and keep an eye on the tropics.
Fish the last two hours of the falling tide and the first part of the incoming, when fish concentrate in the creeks and at the creek mouths. On the high flood tides, the reds push into the grass and are harder to reach, so the lower stages of the tide are the better plan.
Tackle & Tactics
- Reds and black drum: a live shrimp or a mud minnow on a Carolina rig, or a piece of cut crab, fished around the structure. The sliding weight lets a fish pick up the bait without feeling resistance.
- Trout: a live shrimp under a popping cork, the classic setup.
- Tarpon: a live menhaden or a large mullet on a heavy leader and a circle hook.
Local Intel This Week
The Lazaretto Creek boat ramp on Tybee Island is the best launch for Tybee and Wassaw Sound, and the Skidaway Narrows ramp opens up the Skidaway River and the marshes south of Savannah. Shore anglers can fish the Tybee Island Pier and the Lazaretto Creek area, and Coffee Bluff Marina, Bell’s Landing and Tybee Beach are other public options. Time your launch so you reach the creek mouths as the tide drops out. Fish concentrate around docks, oyster bars and creek mouths.
Check current state and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
With Georgia’s big tides, the best fishing is often around the lower stages of the tide, when fish concentrate in the creeks and channels. Focus on the last two hours of the outgoing and the first two hours of the incoming. Less water means fewer places for fish to hide, so the creek mouths and channel bends become the obvious targets.
Planning a trip to Savannah / Coastal Georgia?
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