Best Times & Seasons to Fish the Georgia Coast (Full Guide)
The rich waters along the Georgia Coastline offer some of the best fishing on the eastern coastline. Knowing the best seasons and times of day to fish in Georgia can make a huge difference for your fishing success.
The best time to fish the Georgia Coastline is May through early September for redfish, mackerel, cobia, black seabass, amberjack, and flounder due to an influx of warmer water and offshore current upwelling.
| Fish Species | Best Times to Fish the Georgia Coastline |
| Mackerel (Spanish & King) | May through late August is the best time for mackerel in these waters. |
| Redfish | April through October is the prime redfish season in Georgia waters. |
| Cobia | June through mid-September is the best time for cobia. |
| Black Seabass | May through the middle of July is the best season for black seabass. |
| Amberjack | May through the end of August is the best time to fish. |
Georgia has 110 miles of coastline thriving with marine life. The many salt marshes, barrier islands, artificial reefs, oyster reefs, and estuaries are ideal habitats for a variety of fish species.
Offshore is a gradual sloping continental shelf harboring an abundance of fish as well. On the Georgia coast, people fish in the salt marshes close to shore, the bays, and offshore in the Atlantic.
For a complete breakdown of the best times and seasons to fish in Georgia, check out this helpful guide. This is a very comprehensive breakdown for all species in the state.
Coastal Georgia Species Breakdown: Best Times
Redfish
Redfish (red drum) are common in the marshes of Georgia during high tide. They can also be found near the mouth of rivers where the freshwater meets the ocean inlets. Look for sandbars in the bays and cast your line alongside them as a potential location to find redfish too.
Oyster beds are a good place to find red drum. Redfish are open for harvest all year. Red drum are abundant off the coast of Georgia year-round. The peak season is September to November.
Black Drum
Black drum live near jetties, bridge pilings, piers, oyster beds, and estuaries. The best months to catch black drum are February and March but fishing for them is good year-round.
Flounder
Flounder like estuaries around Georgia. They lie and wait on the bottom to ambush prey. Fish for flounder on the bottom of estuaries, marshes, around piers, tidal creeks, and jetties.
During low tide on the mudflats pay attention to where you see flounder tracks then return to these places during high tide. Flounder are abundant in Georgia year-round.
Red Snapper
Red snapper is a federally managed species. The recreational season for red snapper is only 3 or 4 days in the summer, usually in July.
It changes slightly each year as determined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. Book a charter boat and fish for them offshore on the continental shelf.
Tarpon
Fish for tarpon in the summer months of July-September and maybe in June. The rest of the year is not ideal for tarpon in Georgia.
Spotted Seatrout
Spotted Seatrout can be found in saltmarshes and near oyster reefs during high tide. The peak season for seatrout is October and November but is good pretty much all year in Georgia.
Sheepshead
Sheepshead live under piers, around pilings, jetties, and near oyster reefs. Fishing for them is good all year, especially October-April.
Triple Tail
Tripletail are notorious for hanging out around channel markers. Fish for them from April-October with May-September being the optimum months.
Amberjack
Amberjack are mainly a sport fish in Georgia but people eat them too. They can reach over 100lbs. Fish for them offshore on the continental shelf and around artificial reefs in the ocean.
They are most abundant off the coast of Georgia in late spring to early fall (April-September). They tend to go farther south in the colder months.
Gag Grouper
Fish for gag grouper offshore. The best time is at night but you can still catch them during the day or early morning. You can find them on artificial reefs along the continental shelf.
They hang out at the bottom so rig your line accordingly. Gag grouper are federally managed and the season for them is May 1st– December 31st. The season could end shortly if the annual limit is reached.
Cobia
Cobia season is March 1st-October 31st. The peak months to catch them is May through September. They tend to follow schools of manta rays so many people look for manta rays while fishing for cobia. Cobia can be found near structures like artificial reefs and floating debris offshore.
Mackerel
The best time to fish for any type of mackerel in Georgia is in the summer (June-September). As early as March and as late as November can be good too.
Mackerel fishing is done off the coast of Georgia on the artificial reefs or other offshore structures like floating seaweed beds.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near the town of Savannah, check out this helpful guide.
Recommended Fishing Charters Along the Georgia Coastline
These Georgia-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. The captains are knowledgeable, friendly, and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.
| Recommended Fishing Charters | Type of Fishing Offered |
| Big Fish Charters | Inshore & Offshore |
| Island Angler Charters – Island Angler I | Inshore & Offshore |
| Captain Ken’s Fishing Expeditions | Inshore & Backcountry |
| Reel Busy Shark Charter | Inshore & Offshore |
| Stellar Charters | Inshore & Offshore |
Best Time to Fish Georgia
Depending on the type of fishing trip you are planning, whether it be from the shore, on a boat inshore, or on a boat offshore, and the type of fish you want to catch, different times of year may be best. There are a lot of factors to consider. Let’s take a look.
Georgia Coastal Weather & Fishing Impacts
Summer in Georgia can get very hot, so plan accordingly if you are fishing during the hottest months. During the fall and winter, it tends to be windier and can also get fairly cold.
Check the forecast ahead of time to bring appropriate attire. Hurricane season is June to November which is some of the best months to fish but if a hurricane is in the area your fishing trip is canceled. Take this into consideration when planning a trip, as well.
Tidal Impacts on Coastal Georgia Fishing
It’s important to pay attention to the tides in Georgia. This is especially true if you are fishing the marshes. High tide and low tide often have drastic differences in water level. It is easy to get stuck on the mudflats if you are caught in low tide.
This could result in being stranded for hours until the next high tide is high enough to carry your boat out of the mud. If you are chartering a boat, the captain will plan around tides. If you are going out on your own be sure to look at the tide charts and plan accordingly.
Tides also play a role in where you should fish. For instance, to catch redfish (also known as red drum) take notice of fiddler crab burrows during low tide. During the high tide return to these areas because the redfish love to eat fiddler crabs.
During the low tide, the burrows were not accessible but when the water rises that is where many redfish can be found.
Also, note that during a full moon and new moon higher amounts of water flood into the marshes. This brings in even more redfish that will hunt fiddler crabs in the normally inaccessible grasses.
Places to fish in Georgia
Jekyll Island
On the piers of Jekyll Island you can catch sea trout, red drum, flounder, baitfish, and tarpon. If you venture out on a boat from Jekyll Island you will find red snapper, sharks, and king mackerel.
Jekyll Island is famous for having lots of tripletail from April to October. You can reach Jekyll island by car. There are hotels, campgrounds, and restaurants too.
Savannah
Off the coast of Savannah, Georgia is Tybee Island. The barrier island has public piers that are good places to fish. You can drive there from Savannah.
Just past Tybee Island is a large artificial reef that you can charter a boat to, or take your own. If you have a boat or a fishing kayak, check out Little Tybee Island next door to the main island. It is a nature preserve that allows fishing.
St. Simons Island
St. Simons Island, near Jekyll Island, has a well-equipped ocean pier with benches, tables, and water hoses for cleaning fish. It is a popular place to fish.
Cumberland Island
Only accessible by boat, Cumberland Island is part of the National Seashore. It is a good place to fish from shore or to fish around by boat. Primitive campsites are available but there is no other type of lodging.
Brunswick
Brunswick, GA is another coastal town in Georgia that is popular for fishing. Jekyll, Simons, and Cumberland Island are nearby. There are charter companies based out of Brunswick, hotels, and public boat ramps.
Artificial Reefs
Along the sloping continental shelf off the Georgia coastline are numerous artificial reefs. Charter a boat or take out your own. You can fish the reefs for amberjack, red snapper, cobia, triggerfish, and grouper.
Saltmarshes, Mudflats, Estuaries
All along Georgia, there are salt marshes, mudflats, and estuaries that make great habitats for fish. You can access fishing in these areas using public docks and piers at parks or if you have a boat or kayak there are plenty of public boat ramps too.
You can also book inshore charter boats with a guide to take you out for some of the best inshore fishing of your life.
Booking Charters in Georgia
Best season to go
If you are going to book a charter boat the best months are April to November. This is when you will see the most action. Most fish species migrate farther south in the winter months.
However, if winter is your only option there is still the possibility to catch some decent fish. The busiest season for charter companies in Georgia in the summer.
If you want to avoid competition from other vessels, book one before school lets out for the summer. Coastal Georgia is a very family-orientated area so when school is out, there will be more crowds.
Don’t forget about spring break too. Spring break is usually at the end of March or the beginning of April. In any case, book as early as possible because spots fill up quickly.
Charter trip type
Charters boats in Georgia can be booked for half-day, full-day, and multiple-day trips. Obviously, the longer the trip the more money it will cost. Take your budget into consideration.
The good thing about Georgia is that if you want to get offshore it only takes as little as 30 minutes to reach some ideal offshore sites.
This means that booking a half-day trip may be sufficient if you are targeting offshore species like mackeral, amberjack, or red snapper. If you have never been shrimping or crabbing many charter companies offer these options too.
Best time of day to charter a boat
Booking trips for the morning would be best since the sun is less intense and water tends to be calmer. If you don’t like to wake up early and are only doing a half-day trip, the afternoon is good too.
Just bring lots of sun protection. If grouper is your main target, booking a trip for late afternoon/evening might be best.
