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Savannah River Fishing Report: Reds, Trout, and Stripers Bite as Baitfish Turnover in Autumn
Published 5 months, 4 weeks ago
Description
Artificial Lure here with your Savannah River, GA/SC fishing report for Sunday, November 2nd, 2025. Sunrise hit at 7:42 AM, sunset rounds out the day at 6:33 PM, offering roughly eleven prime hours of daylight. Temps are comfortable, hovering near 68°F, with water out on the river at about 71°F—classic autumn fishing weather on the coastal plain.
Tide action today is pretty lively. At the Savannah River Entrance, high tide peaked at 4:32 AM—a full moon pushing a stout 7.74 feet. Low tide followed at 11:04 AM with just 0.56 feet, and another high pushes back at 5:03 PM at 7.58 feet. That means strong current changes: perfect for dialing in those feeding windows. Major bite times are from 4:37-6:37 AM and again 5:05-7:05 PM. Those evening hours should see solid activity, especially as fish move up onto flats and oyster beds chasing forage.
The seasonal turnover of baitfish is in full swing. Blueback herring are now deeper after their summer spawn, but shad and mullet schools are still active in the main river, channel edges, and backwaters. Bass, stripers, and big reds are dialed in on these; according to local pros like Casey Ashley, bigger lures worked fast—think Super Flukes or the classic Super Spook—will get aggressive strikes when the water’s cooled off and has that fall clarity.
Recent catches have been strong despite the shifting fronts. Anglers have been reporting solid redfish numbers—plenty of slot and some bull reds offshore and in the jetties, particularly at high tide. Speckled trout are hitting in the creek mouths and bends near Little Back River and Tybee Creek. Stripers are picking up in the Augusta shoals and near the rice canal. Channel catfish are busy downriver, and blue cat action remains reliable on cut bait from Port Wentworth down toward Garden City.
Numbers-wise, last week saw boats regularly boat between 10–15 reds during incoming tides, with top fish pushing upwards of 28 inches. Trout reports are 5 to 20 per trip, with the better hauls coming from early or late bite windows, especially around minor current breaks and deeper cuts.
Bait selection is key. For artificials, my personal recommendation is the Skinny Lipper—a hybrid plug that’s tough as nails, works over grass and oysters, and fires up both reds and specks even when the bite is off. It slides side-to-side, and the internal rattle calls fish from a distance, especially in stained water. Soft plastic jerkbaits like Zoom Super Flukes or paddle tails in electric chicken/ghost colors are also getting hammered. In low-light or dirty water, gold spoons and chartreuse hardbaits have been the local favorites.
If you’re fishing live, mud minnows and shrimp are top picks. Rig them either Carolina-style or under popping corks for trout and reds on the flat edges. For stripers and cats, fresh cut gizzard shad or blueback herring, fished deep near structure, does the job.
Hot spots this week? Try the Western edge of Little Back River near Highway 17 for mixed bag action on an incoming tide. Down by the Savannah River jetties, the East Jetty side just before high slack is reliable for stripers and reds. Don’t overlook the area near Port Wentworth: channel bends and drop-offs are producing both trout and cats as water temperatures stabilize.
As always, be mindful of shifting sandbars and oyster reefs—it’s a big tide this week, so some structure moves around. Keep an eye on the wind, which is forecasted at 15-20 knots with gusts that might churn up the lower river in the afternoon.
Appreciate y’all tuning in for this Savannah River fishing report. Make sure to subscribe and stay up to date every week with the latest intel direct from the water. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
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Tide action today is pretty lively. At the Savannah River Entrance, high tide peaked at 4:32 AM—a full moon pushing a stout 7.74 feet. Low tide followed at 11:04 AM with just 0.56 feet, and another high pushes back at 5:03 PM at 7.58 feet. That means strong current changes: perfect for dialing in those feeding windows. Major bite times are from 4:37-6:37 AM and again 5:05-7:05 PM. Those evening hours should see solid activity, especially as fish move up onto flats and oyster beds chasing forage.
The seasonal turnover of baitfish is in full swing. Blueback herring are now deeper after their summer spawn, but shad and mullet schools are still active in the main river, channel edges, and backwaters. Bass, stripers, and big reds are dialed in on these; according to local pros like Casey Ashley, bigger lures worked fast—think Super Flukes or the classic Super Spook—will get aggressive strikes when the water’s cooled off and has that fall clarity.
Recent catches have been strong despite the shifting fronts. Anglers have been reporting solid redfish numbers—plenty of slot and some bull reds offshore and in the jetties, particularly at high tide. Speckled trout are hitting in the creek mouths and bends near Little Back River and Tybee Creek. Stripers are picking up in the Augusta shoals and near the rice canal. Channel catfish are busy downriver, and blue cat action remains reliable on cut bait from Port Wentworth down toward Garden City.
Numbers-wise, last week saw boats regularly boat between 10–15 reds during incoming tides, with top fish pushing upwards of 28 inches. Trout reports are 5 to 20 per trip, with the better hauls coming from early or late bite windows, especially around minor current breaks and deeper cuts.
Bait selection is key. For artificials, my personal recommendation is the Skinny Lipper—a hybrid plug that’s tough as nails, works over grass and oysters, and fires up both reds and specks even when the bite is off. It slides side-to-side, and the internal rattle calls fish from a distance, especially in stained water. Soft plastic jerkbaits like Zoom Super Flukes or paddle tails in electric chicken/ghost colors are also getting hammered. In low-light or dirty water, gold spoons and chartreuse hardbaits have been the local favorites.
If you’re fishing live, mud minnows and shrimp are top picks. Rig them either Carolina-style or under popping corks for trout and reds on the flat edges. For stripers and cats, fresh cut gizzard shad or blueback herring, fished deep near structure, does the job.
Hot spots this week? Try the Western edge of Little Back River near Highway 17 for mixed bag action on an incoming tide. Down by the Savannah River jetties, the East Jetty side just before high slack is reliable for stripers and reds. Don’t overlook the area near Port Wentworth: channel bends and drop-offs are producing both trout and cats as water temperatures stabilize.
As always, be mindful of shifting sandbars and oyster reefs—it’s a big tide this week, so some structure moves around. Keep an eye on the wind, which is forecasted at 15-20 knots with gusts that might churn up the lower river in the afternoon.
Appreciate y’all tuning in for this Savannah River fishing report. Make sure to subscribe and stay up to date every week with the latest intel direct from the water. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content