What's the best time of year to fish Savannah & Coastal Georgia?

Peak fishing in Savannah & Coastal Georgia varies by species. See our complete seasonal fishing calendar for Savannah & Coastal Georgia for a month-by-month breakdown of what's hitting, where to go, and what tactics work best.

What fish can you catch in Savannah & Coastal Georgia?

The Savannah & Coastal Georgia fishery hosts a mix of inshore, nearshore, and offshore species. See the full species list and seasonal calendar above for the complete picture.

Do I need a fishing license in Savannah & Coastal Georgia?

Yes — anglers age 16 and older need a state fishing license to fish in Savannah & Coastal Georgia (some exemptions apply for residents fishing from licensed piers). Check state Fish and Wildlife regulations for current rules and limits.

When is the best fishing report for Savannah & Coastal Georgia updated?

fishing.digital publishes a fresh weekly Savannah & Coastal Georgia fishing report every Thursday with the latest intel from the past week — what's hitting, conditions, and tactics that are working.

Savannah & Coastal Georgia Fishing Guide — Redfish, Tarpon, Tripletail & More

Coastal Georgia — from Tybee Island south through Sapelo, St. Simons, and Jekyll — is a tidal estuarine paradise with the second-highest tidal range on the East Coast. Vast marshes, deep creek systems, and protected sounds produce some of the best redfish, speckled trout, and tarpon fishing in the South. Offshore, the Snapper Banks and Black Gulley deliver excellent live-bottom action.

Why Coastal Georgia?

Georgia’s coastline is short by Atlantic standards — only about 100 miles — but the marsh estuarine acreage is enormous. Wassaw, Ossabaw, Sapelo, and St. Simons Sounds connect to vast spartina-grass marsh systems threaded with deep creeks. The 6-9 foot tidal range floods the marsh grass on big tides, opening up tailing-redfish flats accessible only on the highest tides of the month. Coastal Georgia delivers a wilderness fishing experience with minimal boat traffic and abundant fish.

Top Target Species

Redfish — The Headline Species

Schools of slot reds (14-23″ in GA) on the marsh grass flats, oyster bars, and creek mouths year-round. Bull reds (30″+) push into the sounds in fall. Tailing redfish on flooding tides in summer is iconic Georgia fishing — sight-fish them with weedless soft plastics or fly tackle.

Speckled Trout

Quality speckled trout on the deeper creek mouths and grass flats. Winter and spring produce the biggest fish (4+ lbs); summer trout move to deeper, cooler holes. The Wassaw, Ossabaw, and St. Simons systems all produce.

Tarpon — Wassaw Sound & Brunswick

Georgia’s tarpon fishery is underrated — fish migrate up the East Coast in June through September. Wassaw Sound mouth and the Brunswick area produce quality tarpon (60-150 lbs). Live menhaden on heavy spinning gear.

Tripletail

One of Georgia’s premier summer sight-fisheries. Tripletail hold to channel markers, crab traps, and floating debris from May through September. Live shrimp on a slip cork past the structure; sight-cast soft plastics.

Flounder, Sheepshead, Spanish Mackerel, Cobia

Fall flounder migration at the Savannah River jetty and Tybee Inlet. Sheepshead spawn at structure in winter/spring. Spanish mackerel on Tybee Beach in summer. Spring cobia migration through Wassaw Sound mouth.

Offshore — Snapper Banks & Gulf Stream

The Savannah Snapper Banks (25-40 miles offshore) hold black sea bass, vermillion snapper, gag grouper, red porgy, and seasonal cobia. The Black Gulley and Gulf Stream edge (60-90 miles) produce yellowfin, wahoo, mahi, and marlin.

Best Fishing Spots

Wassaw Sound

Just south of Tybee Island — a wilderness sound with extensive marsh shoreline, oyster bars, and deep channels. Excellent redfish, trout, and tarpon. Limited development means clean water and minimal boat traffic.

Ossabaw Sound

South of Wassaw — Ossabaw Island is a state heritage preserve, accessible only by boat. Massive redfish populations and protected wilderness fishing.

Tybee Island

The most accessible coastal Georgia destination. Tybee Inlet, the back river, and the Lazaretto Creek area produce year-round.

St. Simons / Jekyll Sound

The Brunswick area — extensive marsh, deep channels, and the Brunswick River. Redfish, trout, tarpon, and flounder year-round.

Sapelo Sound

Between Wassaw and St. Simons — a Georgia Department of Natural Resources protected area. Quality marsh fishing with limited pressure.

The Snapper Banks

25-40 miles offshore — Georgia’s bread-and-butter live-bottom fishery. Sea bass, vermillion snapper, gag grouper, red porgy in 60-100 ft.

When to Fish — Seasonal Breakdown

January–February: Big winter redfish in deeper creeks; trout in deep holes; sheepshead spawning at structure.

March–April: Sheepshead peak; cobia migration through Wassaw Sound; spring redfish moving to flats.

May–June: Cobia, tarpon arriving; tailing redfish on flooding tides; spring tripletail.

July–August: Peak tarpon; peak tripletail; offshore kings, mahi, and yellowfin.

September–October: Peak fall — bull reds at sounds, fall flounder, big trout, Spanish mackerel.

November–December: Trout schools, redfish in creek mouths, offshore wahoo on the Gulley.

Charters & Resources

Charter range: $500–$800 inshore (marsh, sound trips); $700–$1,100 nearshore (cobia, kings, tarpon); $1,500–$2,500 offshore (Snapper Banks, Gulf Stream).

Bait & Tackle: Coffee Bluff Marina (Savannah); B&B Tackle (Tybee); Hogans Marina (Wilmington Island); Coastal Marsh Outfitters (Brunswick); St. Simons Bait & Tackle.

Public Boat Ramps: Lazaretto Creek (Tybee), Frank G. Murray ramp (Skidaway), Bell’s Landing (Savannah area), Mackay River Landing (Brunswick), Blythe Island Regional Park.

Regulations

Georgia saltwater regulations apply — verify current GA DNR rules. Red drum 14-23″ slot, 5 per day. Spotted seatrout 14″ minimum, 15 per day. Sheepshead 10″ minimum, no daily limit. GA saltwater fishing license required.