Savannah River Fishing Report: Early Fall Transition, Hot Bites, and Tidal Insights

Good morning y’all, this is Artificial Lure, bringing you today’s Savannah River fishing report for Friday, September 26, 2025. Sunrise hit at 7:15 a.m. and we’ll see the sun set at 7:15 p.m. after a solid 12 hours of daylight. We’re heading into the early fall transition — still plenty warm, but you’ll feel a hint of crisp air, especially at dawn. Checking the tides for Savannah, the first low tide rolled through at 5:53 a.m. with a height around 1.3 feet. High tide’s coming up at 12:23 p.m., peaking near 8.2 feet, and another low hits at 6:36 p.m. Tidal coefficient’s at 61, which means a moderate swing — expect a decent current, especially on the outgoing tide. Fish that moving water for your best shot at an active bite. These conditions should have the river and estuary fish fired up, and with the pressure steady under high clouds, it’s a good day to be wetting a line according to Tides4Fishing. Weather-wise, it’s shaping up nice per the National Weather Service: light northeast winds at 10 knots, gusts staying tame, and seas running 2 to 3 feet offshore. Expect highs pushing 81°F, a little muggy, but no storms are on the radar this morning. Let’s talk action! Reports from Captain Experiences say the bite’s been mixed up and lively this week. Folks are landing *redfish*, *speckled trout*, *flounder*, and the occasional *black drum* inshore. Boat crews are picking up the last of the summer’s *tarpon* and *sharks* on the lower river and sounds. Some have even hooked up with a big 150-pound tarpon — a memory maker for sure. The marsh edges and creek mouths are spot producing schools of keeper reds and upper-slot trout, especially around heavy structure at current breaks. The Savannah River proper is doing its thing too. Upstream, anglers are seeing catfish (both blue and channel), plus a few healthy largemouth bass in the oxbows and sloughs. Look for those blues where deep water cuts meet slower-moving stretches; cut shad remains the hot ticket there. Artificial lures are shining: The Gulp! Swimming Mullet in white or chartreuse has been a killer for both reds and trout, especially on 1/4 oz jigheads bounced through creek mouths and oyster bars. For topwater lovers, give a Zara Spook or a Rapala Skitter Walk a go right at sunrise for trout popping the surface — that low light window’s been key. If you’re live baiting, mud minnows and shrimp rigged under a popping cork are near-can’t-miss, and finger mullet are also attracting those bigger fall predators. For those who like numbers: Several guide boats this week reported client hauls of 15–20 legal speckled trout, 6–8 slot reds per outing, and good catches of croaker, whiting, and a few flounder mixed in — nothing like that September slam. Local wisdom says the hot spots right now include: - **The Back River near Fort Pulaski**, working deep holes on the outgoing tide for reds and flounder. - **Isle of Hope around the Skidaway Narrows** where bait’s stacking up and trout are chasing along g This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.