Savannah River Report: Tides, Topwaters, and Terrific Fishing Opportunities

The sun rose over the Savannah River at 7:06 this morning, casting that golden light folks around here know means it’s time to check the tide, tie on a topwater, and get after it. As of today, September 14, 2025, sunrise hit at 7:06 AM, sunset will be at 7:30 PM, and Tybee Light tide charts call for a high at 1:46 AM, a morning low at 7:54 AM, high again at 2:19 PM, and a low to close things out at 8:50 PM. If you’re launching early, plan to work the moving water—the tail end of the outgoing tide this morning and that afternoon flood are both prime for feeding action, especially around sandbars and creek mouths. Weather's on your side: temps are hanging just below 80 at dawn, climbing gently toward mid-80s, with light winds and partly cloudy skies. River clarity is decent, with some tidal stain but nothing that’ll put off the fish. This week’s reports from local guides put redfish, speckled trout, flounder, and sheepshead right up at the top of the catch list. Out on Whitemarsh Island, Captain Zach's Fishing Charter has been putting anglers on keeper reds at the creek mouths and oyster edges, while sheepshead are stacked thick around structure. Drop a fiddler crab or a chunk of shrimp tight to pilings and you’ll get bent in a hurry. If it’s sharks you want, there’s steady action on bonnetheads and the occasional blacktip, especially if you anchor up in the main river channel with a chunk of fresh bait—ladyfish or whiting will do the trick. Anglers working the flats and grass lines are doing well on slot reds, especially throwing gold spoons or live finger mullet on a popping cork. Early morning that topwater bite has been hot—walking baits like the Zara Spook or a classic Skitterwalk are drawing big blows from hungry trout and feisty redfish. Soft plastics—especially paddle-tails in new penny or chartreuse—are producing numbers when fished slow along drop-offs and shell banks. Don’t forget the new local special: the “Savannah Shrimp” pattern on a jig head, deadly under a cork. For the freshwater folks, it’s turning into a banner year with the official recognition of Bartram’s Bass, a native found only here in the Savannah River system. Anglers tossing small crankbaits and white spinnerbaits upriver near Augusta are reporting steady catches—just remember, these fish are special, so practice gentle release. Hot spots this week? Put-in at Thunderbolt and drift east to the mouths of the Wilmington and Lazaretto creeks for mixed bag action. Whitemarsh Island is on fire for sheepshead and flounder—focus on dock pilings and the riprapped bridges. The backwater creeks off Abercorn are always a solid bet for reds and flounder at low incoming tide. For a real adventure, try the north bank above the I-95 crossing—bass, catfish, and the occasional gar will keep things interesting in the sweetwater. Best bets for bait: live shrimp, mud minnows, or fiddler crabs for inshore; cut bait or fresh menhaden for sharks. For lures, bring topwaters, gold spoons, This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.