Black sea bass fishing out of Savannah is bottom fishing on reefs, from 29 ft of water 4 nm off Little Tybee out to the 100 ft Savannah Snapper Banks. Each ground below comes with its depth, its distance and the landmark it is measured from, so you can pick the run that fits your boat. For the wider picture of the port, see the Savannah port guide. For biology and tackle, see our black sea bass guide. The wider picture is in the black sea bass fishing in the Atlantic Southeast and the Atlantic Southeast region guide.
Where boats run out of Savannah
The nearshore artificial reefs sit 4 to 9 nm off Little Tybee, Tybee, Ossabaw and Wassaw. The offshore grounds start at the 100 ft Snapper Banks and run out to North Hole, about 60 miles from Savannah.
Nearshore reefs
The four Georgia offshore artificial reefs closest to Savannah sit in 29 to 50 ft, 4 to 9 nm off the barrier islands. In run order:
- BSF: 29 ft, 4 nm east of Little Tybee Island.
- SAV: 40 ft, 6 nm southeast of Tybee Island.
- DUA: 45 ft, 7 nm east of Ossabaw Island.
- KC: 50 ft, 9 nm east of Wassaw Island.
Ridin’ Rogue Charters also fishes Gray’s Reef and the CCA reefs as nearshore grounds.
Offshore grounds
Past the nearshore reefs, the named grounds are the Savannah Snapper Banks in 100 ft, J-Buoy 16 miles east of Tybee Island, R-6 Tower, and North Hole about 60 miles east of Savannah. The next section gives the detail for each.
The grounds that hold black sea bass
BSF, SAV, DUA and KC all belong to the Georgia offshore artificial reef program. The table lists every named ground in one place. A blank cell means no figure is given for that item.
| Ground | Depth (ft) | Distance and landmark |
|---|---|---|
| BSF | 29 | 4 nm east of Little Tybee Island |
| SAV | 40 | 6 nm southeast of Tybee Island |
| DUA | 45 | 7 nm east of Ossabaw Island |
| KC | 50 | 9 nm east of Wassaw Island |
| Gray’s Reef and CCA reefs | ||
| Savannah Snapper Banks | 100 | |
| J-Buoy | 16 miles east of Tybee Island | |
| R-6 Tower | ||
| North Hole | About 60 miles east of Savannah |
You can mark these positions against the Chart Contours layer in Breakpoint. Chart layers are not for navigation.
BSF
BSF sits in 29 ft, 4 nm east of Little Tybee Island. It is the shortest run and the shallowest of the four Georgia offshore artificial reefs listed here.
SAV
SAV sits in 40 ft, 6 nm southeast of Tybee Island. The distance is measured from Tybee itself, not Little Tybee.
DUA
DUA sits in 45 ft, 7 nm east of Ossabaw Island. It is the southern reef of the four.
KC
KC sits in 50 ft, 9 nm east of Wassaw Island. It is the deepest and longest run of the four reefs.
Gray’s Reef and the CCA reefs
Ridin’ Rogue lists Gray’s Reef and the CCA reefs as nearshore grounds for its reef trips.
Savannah Snapper Banks
The Savannah Snapper Banks sit in 100 ft, and the grounds are on Miss Judy’s trip list. For more on reef fish across the region, see the wider reef-fish picture off the Southeast.
J-Buoy, R-6 Tower and North Hole
J-Buoy is 16 miles east of Tybee Island, and North Hole is about 60 miles east of Savannah. R-6 Tower is the other named structure on this run.
How it is fished locally
The local method is bottom fishing on reef structure, from the 29 ft nearshore reefs to the 100 ft Snapper Banks. You put the boat on the reef and fish the bottom.
| Ground group | Depth range | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Nearshore artificial reefs | 29 to 50 ft | Bottom fishing on reefs |
| Savannah Snapper Banks | 100 ft | Bottom fishing on reefs |
| Gray’s Reef and CCA reefs | Bottom fishing on reefs |
Who fishes them out of this port
Four charters list black sea bass. Their boats and grounds follow, listed as facts rather than endorsements.
- Miss Judy Charters: The Miss Judy Charters trip list includes the Savannah Snapper Banks, in 100 ft.
- Reel ‘Em N Deep Sea Fishing Charters: The boat is the Reel Em N II, 43 ft with 700+ HP. It carries up to 20 passengers and is rigged for fishing.
- Tybee Island Charters: The 21 ft Carolina Skiff is named the Flounder. See Tybee Island Charters offshore trips.
- Ridin’ Rogue Charters: Ridin’ Rogue is veteran-owned and fishes the CCA reefs and Gray’s Reef.
FAQ about black sea bass fishing out of Savannah
What is the closest reef for black sea bass out of Savannah?
BSF, in 29 ft, 4 nm east of Little Tybee Island. It is part of the Georgia offshore artificial reef program.
How deep is the Savannah Snapper Banks?
100 ft. The grounds are on Miss Judy’s trip list.
How far is J-Buoy from Tybee?
16 miles east of Tybee Island.
Where is North Hole?
About 60 miles east of Savannah. It is the longest named run in this guide.
Which charters list black sea bass out of Savannah?
Four operators list the species: Miss Judy Charters, Reel ‘Em N Deep Sea Fishing Charters, Tybee Island Charters and Ridin’ Rogue Charters.
