Early Winter Bite Heats Up on the Savannah River

Artificial Lure here with your Savannah River report for Friday, November 14th, 2025, and folks, the early winter bite is kicking up right on schedule. Sunrise hit at 7:26 AM, with sunset rolling in at 6:52 PM up and down the river. The day started brisk and cool, and according to the National Weather Service, we’ve got west winds blowing 15–20 knots all day, seas offshore at 4–5 feet, and a small craft advisory in effect for anyone venturing far from the banks. Local conditions on the river itself are less gnarly, but expect some chop especially as the day warms. Cloud cover’s patchy—ideal for those predators staging on shallow flats. The Tybee Light tidal forecast shows a low tide early this morning around 8:46 AM and a high swinging back around 3:06 PM. That means the incoming tide through midday should get redfish cruising flats and creek mouths, and it’s prime time for those gator trout to be staging by drop-offs. If you head out at dusk, you’ll catch the falling tide—don’t miss that last light bite! On the fish front: Georgia Outdoor News reported crappie getting more active along brush piles and docks, especially upriver closer to Augusta, with some limits being pulled in using live minnows and small jigs. Closer to Port Wentworth and the brackish stretches, local anglers have been slamming slot reds in the back creeks, plus a handful of flounder and sheepshead along riprap and pilings. Speckled trout action picked up this week as water temps dipped into the 60s, and several catches over 20 inches have been posted just downstream of the Talmadge Bridge. For big cats, the upstream reservoir edges and oxbows are producing blues and yellows. Wired2Fish reported the Lake Hartwell-area record was broken last weekend with a monster 53.5-pound blue cat caught on cut blueback herring. Down here, fresh cut bait—shad, menhaden, or those same herring heads—are working best near deep holes around sandbars. The nighttime bite’s fierce if you ride out till late. Best baits and lures: - For reds and trout, toss **DOA shrimp** under popping corks or paddle-tail soft plastics in new penny or chartreuse. - If you want stripers, the lower river has seen strikes on big white bucktail jigs and live mullet. - Sheepshead are all about live fiddler crabs fished tight to dock pilings. - Crappie stay hungry for live minnows or Bobby Garland Baby Shad in chartreuse/blue. Hot spots today: - Check the mouth of Abercorn Creek for trout and reds on the incoming tide. - The pilings under the Route 17 portion of the Talmadge Bridge are holding sheepies and flounder. - Upstream, try around Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam for catfish right after dark, especially with fresh cut bait. If you’re new, remember to check local regs—slot sizes and creel limits change quickly. The river’s got something for everyone this time of year, and with tides and temps moving just right, you’re bound to hook into a few. Thanks for tuning in and don’t forget to subscribe for more r This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.