Savannah River Fishing Report: Bartram's Bass, Flounder, and Fall Transition Bites

Artificial Lure here with your Friday, September 12th, 2025, fishing report for the Savannah River area, stretching across Georgia into South Carolina. Sunrise is at 7:07 AM, with sunset rolling in by 7:30 PM, giving you plenty of light to wet a line. Water temps are holding steady around 80°F, and air temps are hovering in the mid-70s—classic late-summer comfort for both fish and anglers. Today’s tide action brings a high at 1:52 AM (6.7 ft), with a low following at 8:00 AM (just about half a foot), then high tide again at 2:25 PM swinging up to 7.87 ft, dropping to low at 8:57 PM. The tidal coefficient is low—starting the day at 28 and edging up slightly—so expect softer currents and slower water movement, perfect for precise lure presentation. Note that the major fishing activity windows trail the tides: set that alarm for the bite from 8-10 AM and don’t miss the prime evening stretch from 8:20-10:20 PM, when lunar influences give fish a reason to stir. Reports from the banks and boats this week have been mighty interesting. News just broke that Bartram’s Bass—now officially recognized as Micropterus pucpuggy—is native to these waters, and local anglers are taking careful note. These feisty fighters range 5 to 16 inches and favor insect, crayfish, and small minnow imitations. Folks are also landing spotted bass, largemouth, and the occasional striper near deeper ledges and current breaks. Catch counts are most consistent for bass and redbreast sunfish upriver, with catfish and a few flathead prowling the deeper bends. Flounder have started nosing into the lower river near salt lines, especially on live mud minnows and Gulp! swimming mullets. Top baits and lures for today: - For **Bartram’s Bass** and other riverine bass, try small soft plastics in watermelon or green pumpkin, finesse worms, or Ned rigs hopped through current seams. - **Spinnerbaits** with silver blades are working early when shad school up near surface breaks. - Live bait anglers are bagging catfish on cut shad close to drop-offs and outside bends. - For the salt-influenced stretches, paddle tail swimbaits and live shrimp are enticing flounder and the first keeper trout of the early fall run. Hot spots right now include: - The shoals upstream of **Augusta Canal Headgates**, where mixed bass action keeps rods bending all morning. - **Cabbage Island Cut**, down near the river entrance, is producing stripers on outgoing tides and redfish at the grass edge, especially late afternoon. - Don’t sleep on the drop-offs below Fort Jackson—current lines here are drawing in both cats and predatory bass. Conditions look prime with moderate east winds and limited chop. The low tidal amplitude means you’ll want to fish structure and channel turns, looking for ambush points within calmer eddies. With the new official status of Bartram’s Bass, conservation efforts are on everyone’s mind—be sure to check your regs and handle these native fish with care. Thanks for tuning in to Artificial This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.