Saint Simons Island Fishing Calendar: What's Biting When

The Georgia coast has legitimately great fishing, and Saint Simons is one of the better launch points for it. Our guests have varied levels of interest, so here's the honest breakdown of what's worth chasing and when.

January–March: trout and sheepshead

Cool-water months. Spotted seatrout are thick in the creeks, and sheepshead run the pilings and docks. Ask at Coastal Outdoor Adventures for current creek picks.

April–June: red drum and flounder kick off

Red drum start showing consistently. Flounder come into the estuaries. This is when the inshore guides start getting booked up two weeks out.

June–August: tarpon and bull reds

Tarpon season is the event. Captain Tim Cutting and Captain Mark Noble are the names to know. You'll fish bait around the sound for hours, then hook something that runs 150 pounds. It's a bucket-list fish.

Bull red drum in the same window — the fly-fishing community loves this run.

September–October: tripletail, jacks, and the fall transition

Tripletail under the crab-pot buoys is a Georgia-coast specialty. Light tackle, sight fishing, and the fish tastes phenomenal.

November–December: big trout, no crowds

Peak trophy trout season for people who actually know what they're doing. The island empties of tourists and the fishing gets quiet and good.

Not fishing but want to be on the water?

• Dolphin tours out of the pier.
• Sunset cruises from Coastal Expeditions.
• Kayak the marsh from Gould's Inlet or the 4H Tidelands on Jekyll.

Fishing licenses for Georgia saltwater are $10 for a 3-day non-resident permit, purchased online.