UTERRedfish fishing in Georgia Coast
In Georgia Coast, redfish peak April–May and September–February and are around year-round, spawning in September–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. January: Schools on the low-tide mud flats and creek mouths behind the islands; sight-cast in the clear winter water.
Bulls still at the sounds; the slot reds tail on the spring-tide flood in the spartina.
Redfish in Georgia Coast, month by month
- JanuaryPeakSchools on the low-tide mud flats and creek mouths behind the islands; sight-cast in the clear winter water.
- FebruaryPeakSame winter schools; fish the bottom two hours of the tide and the warmest afternoon.
- MarchAroundBig black drum and the whiting run. Crab or clam at the St. Simons pier and the sound mouths; shrimp on the bottom for whiting.
- AprilPeakSpreading back onto the oyster rakes; mud minnow or shrimp under a cork.
- MayPeakCreek mouths on the falling tide around St. Simons and Darien.
- JuneAroundTarpon arrive; Spanish on the tide lines. Troll small spoons at the sound mouths; first tarpon on the pogy schools.
- JulyAroundTarpon on the pogies; sharks everywhere. Live menhaden under the pogy pods in the sounds; spadefish on the towers.
- AugustAroundPrime tarpon month in the Golden Isles. St. Simons and St. Andrew sounds and off Jekyll; flood-tide tailing reds.
- SeptemberSpawningBull reds at the sound mouths — St. Simons, St. Andrew, Wassaw — and off the St. Simons pier; spawning fish.
- OctoberSpawningBulls still at the sounds; the slot reds tail on the spring-tide flood in the spartina.
- NovemberPeakBest inshore month: reds on every oyster bar as the shrimp leave the creeks.
- DecemberPeakWinter schools set up on the low-tide flats.
Where to fish redfish near Savannah, Tybee Island, Richmond Hill
Endless spartina marsh and tidal creeks behind the barrier islands — Tybee, Wassaw, Ossabaw, St. Catherines, Sapelo, St. Simons, Jekyll and Cumberland — cut by big sounds (Wassaw, St. Catherines, Doboy, St. Simons, St. Andrew), with shell rakes everywhere, artificial reefs nearshore and Gray's Reef and the Gulf Stream offshore.
Fish Scouter charts 26 grass flat, 14 dock / pilings, 1 bridge spots in the The Golden Isles map area — the kinds redfish hold on.
What to use for redfish
- Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
- PinfishHooked through the back ahead of the dorsal on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook; the small ones free-lined, the big ones on a fish-finder rig.
- Finger mulletLip-hooked on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook and free-lined, or on a fish-finder rig in the surf. Cut mullet on the bottom for redfish and drum.
- Blue crabsWhole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia.
- CroakersHooked through the back on a 2/0 to 3/0 circle hook, free-lined or on a Carolina rig — big trout and redfish can't leave them alone.
- Leader20–30 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook1/0–3/0
- Jig head1/8–3/8 oz
- Braid10–20 lb
Feeds in 58–90°F water, best at 65–82°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch redfish in Georgia Coast?
Peak season is April–May and September–February, with fish spawning in September–October (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Redfish are here year-round. January: Schools on the low-tide mud flats and creek mouths behind the islands; sight-cast in the clear winter water.
Where do redfish hold in Georgia Coast?
Look on grass flat, dock / pilings, pass / inlet, channel edge, bridge — around Savannah, Tybee Island, Richmond Hill, Darien, Brunswick, St. Simons Island.
What is the best bait for redfish in Georgia Coast?
Live bait: live shrimp, pinfish, finger mullet, blue crabs. Live shrimp: Under a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait. Tackle: leader 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, hook 1/0–3/0, jig head 1/8–3/8 oz, braid 10–20 lb.
What are the rules for redfish in Georgia Coast?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (Georgia DNR) and change — read the current rule at https://coastalgadnr.org/RecreationalFishing before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://georgiawildlife.com/licenses-permits-passes.
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