Savannah River Fishing Report: Redfish, Trout, and Sharks Biting Early

Artificial Lure with your September 17th Savannah River fishing report, serving anglers on both the Georgia and South Carolina banks. Sunrise hit at 7:07 am this morning and we’re in for a high near 84°F. Winds are light from the southeast and you’ll notice some high humidity typical of late summer. Clouds are rolling in but rain chances will stay low for most of the day, so conditions on the water look fishable early, especially with cooler temps at dawn. The tides today are prime for inshore anglers. Low tide rolled through around 5:00 am and we’re seeing the flood build steadily between 8:00 and 10:00 am, topping out midday. If you can sneak out early, fish the last of the outgoing tide on shallow flats for big redfish, then follow the rising tide into marsh drains for trout and flounder action. The mid-September tide swings this week are moderate, not extreme, so currents are manageable for most setups. Fish activity around Savannah River has been hot near Whitemarsh Island and up into the central channel near the harbor. Captain Zach’s Fishing Charter reports solid catches over the past few mornings, mostly bonnethead sharks, sheepshead, and summer reds. Bottom fishing with cut mullet and shrimp has put several nice sharks in the boat—Bonnetheads running up to the 30-inch range, with some bigger blacktips spotted closer to the sound. Around dock pilings and deeper structure, sheepshead are hitting fiddler crabs and fresh shrimp on a Carolina rig. Spotted sea trout and flounder have also been active just off the main channel edges, with the best action coming on incoming water. Popping cork rigs with live finger mullet or mud minnows have been the top bait for trout. For artificials, locals are slinging white paddle-tail soft plastics and MirrOlure suspending twitch baits, especially during cloudy spells. Flounder are laying up near rocky points and oyster bars; drag a Gulp shrimp or bucktail jig tight to the bottom for your best shot. Hot spots worth a try today include: - Whitemarsh Island marsh drains, especially for early reds and sheepshead. - The mouth of St. Augustine Creek, where summer trout are still feeding heavy on rising tide. - The dock lines and ship pilings east of the Talmadge Bridge—great for mixed bags of drum, spots, and croaker. - If you want big fish, the outer bend near Tybee Island on a flooding tide has been producing sharks and the occasional bull red. Near Tybee and Wilmington Island, bottom and drift fishing yielded plenty of action across the last few days, not a trophy every time but steady bites—mostly smaller red drum, trout, and the occasional cobia. Cobia have been hooked on live menhaden fished deep near structure, and triggerfish have shown on shrimp-tipped jigs. Bait choice depends on the target: for sharks and big reds, use fresh-cut mullet or menhaden and stout bottom rigs; for sheepshead, fiddler crabs are the best bet, while live shrimp and mud minnows excel for trout and flounder. If you’re fis This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.