Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

So I was all set to go kayaking with a couple of buddies in a little under 2 weeks, combining it with seeing my son in Savannah on the Saturday night. Complications arose and first one buddy and then the other had conflicts arise and can't go. I am not paddling in the remote area we were looking at alone. After a little poking around, a plan B arose...

The Savannah National Wildlife Refuge is just over the bridge from Savannah. It is really big, but it turns out one of the main access points is a "wildlife drive" much of which runs along a diversion canal. Bank fishing along the canal is permitted year around. It looks pretty good:

https://www.google.com/maps/@32.1724045,-81.0961731,340m/data=!3m1!1e3

I have that centered over a small parking area at a trailhead. The trail is to the north. Across the road, to the south is the wildlife drive. So I may drive along that road looking for good access or park at the trailhead and walk a bit. It looks like the trick is finding spots where you can get right to the bank without too much vegetation, but from Googling I feel pretty sure that several spots are there. It's no big secret, but from what I am reading it doesn't get a ton of pressure. Anyway, I feel like I do have an option to squeeze in a little potentially good fishing while I am down there.

Views: 145

Comment

You need to be a member of Bluegill - Big Bluegill to add comments!

Join Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Comment by Andy is OptiMystic on February 17, 2015 at 12:32pm

Can it be - plan D? Probably a good idea. It's an adjustment to plan C. Go ahead and pony up $20 for a 3 day full GA license because 2.5 miles from the motel is this park:

http://parks.chathamcounty.org/Parks/Community-Parks/Lake-Mayer

35 acre lake with full bank aces all the way around including a rather large island, plenty of parking, facilities, picnic tables. I could still end up fishing somewhere brackish where I could have only spent $5 for a day pass, but this looks like a sure thing, where the river accesses are a little iffier. I have found info on the park that indicates it is a local favorite (that's good and bad, of course).

Comment by Andy is OptiMystic on February 11, 2015 at 11:48am

and now - Plan C

I may only get a little time and it would be easiest if I stayed really local in Savannah. So I am going to stay there and do a little inshore fishing at a park near the motel on one of the "rivers". Maybe catch a trout or redfish; GA has a $5 one day salt water bank fishing license.

Latest Activity

Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

Wanaque river Crappie

"Below is a sample of what I call a cricket spin…my belief is that the rubber legs a ways…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

1st2026Pickerel 43.7 WATER TEMP

"Pickerel and Bluegill are my only open Water 2026 fish so far, Jeff.! Hope to get on the Perch,…"
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

Grabbed a paddle tail swimbait in 44.7 degree water

"I wanna stay on this and see and hope activity improves."
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Kept Twenty-Three Fish on Sunday……3/20/2026

Nice mess of medium gills and some tuxedo crappie…
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Monster River Crappie….How Do You Do……3/23/2026

"Released to fill the thrill again!"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Crappie Was Still The Top PlayerToday…..3/23/2026

"It was 64.2 on Monday but it has fell back to 60 today after two nights in the…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

Wanaque river Crappie

"I love this…….we throw a cricket spin more often than a beetle spin but both are very…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

Grabbed a paddle tail swimbait in 44.7 degree water

"My surface temps are right around 60 degrees today, down a few degrees from Monday before the cold…"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

1st2026Pickerel 43.7 WATER TEMP

"Nice….you’re still bundled up but it was cold down here this morning…"
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

Wanaque river Crappie

"Yes Jeff ! Using old school nostalgic Baits ramps up the enjoyment for me! Brother Greg too."
yesterday
John Sheehan commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Crappie Was Still The Top PlayerToday…..3/23/2026

"Nice! What water temps you getting?"
yesterday
John Sheehan posted photos
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

My First Crappie With a Spawning Scar……3/23/2026

This is an indication to me that these fish are getting very tight to shallow wood so I wanted to…
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

My Very Next Cast Was a Nice Black Crappie at Sunrise….3/23/2026

I felt real good about the fishing ahead of the cold front but kept waiting for the big winds to…
Wednesday

© 2026   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service