Good morning, y’all—Artificial Lure here with your Savannah River fishing report for Saturday, June 21, 2025.
The sun came up around 6:20 a.m., and we’re looking at sundown about 8:33 p.m.—that gives you plenty of daylight to chase whatever’s biting. Weather today is textbook Savannah summer: highs in the upper 80s, muggy, with a chance of those classic late-day thunderstorms, so pack your rain gear and hydrate well.
Tidal movement is strong today. Down by the river entrance, low tide rolled through at 7:17 a.m., with high tide just before 1 p.m. These in-and-out tides get the fish moving, especially near creek mouths and river bends. Your best shot at the panfish bite is during slack tide—target those shaded woody piles with crickets or worms, but don’t shy away from a small popping bug or mini-crankbait if you’re a fan of artificials. According to the Georgia Wildlife Division, anglers are hauling in quality redear sunfish and bluegill right now, with some shellcrackers turning heads—a reminder that the main Savannah is holding strong, not just the big lakes nearby.
Channel catfish are feeding up, with multiple reports of cats over 10 pounds lately. Early morning and late evening are prime times—Captain Chris Simpson suggests dropping cut bait or chicken liver around humps and deep points for the best shot at a big whisker fish. If you’re after stripers, the New Savannah Bluff Lock & Dam area is still producing. Fisheries biologists wrapped up their shad survey here last week and noted stripers pushing 25 pounds. Drift live bait in the current, or throw a bucktail, fluke, or big swimbait to draw a strike.
Bass anglers—it’s summer pattern season. Stick to the shady creeks or along clay banks where you see crawfish holes. Proven setups include a black trick worm on a Texas rig with a light sinker, as well as red or crawfish-hued crankbaits and spinnerbaits run tight to log jams or wherever current breaks. Local YouTubers and folks on the water swear by that black Zoom trick worm, especially around fallen timber and willow-lined banks. If you find a little moving water, even better—bass are holding in these spots for cooler temps and easy prey.
Top hotspots this weekend:
- New Savannah Bluff Lock & Dam for stripers, cats, and shad action.
- Creek mouths and backwaters between Augusta and Clyo for big panfish and largemouths.
That’s the scoop from the banks of the Savannah. Big fish, steady action, and summer in full swing—what more can you ask for? Thanks for tuning in, and if you enjoyed the report, don’t forget to subscribe. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.