Learn to Fish on Tybee Island | Beginner Trip

Two summer flounder and spotted weakfish caught at Tybee Island

Redfish caught by an angler at Tybee Island

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Learn to Fish on Tybee Island | Beginner Trip

Tybee Island

What you will be catching:

Redfish
Sea Trout
Sheepshead

This 4-hour trip with Captain Trey Wagner is perfect if you're new to fishing or want a relaxed day on the water. You'll head out from Tybee Island targeting redfish, trout, and flounder in Georgia's calm inshore waters. Captain Trey takes his time with beginners, showing you the basics without any pressure. All your gear and bait are included, so you just need to show up ready to learn. The boat holds just 2 guests, which means plenty of personal attention and coaching. These coastal waters around Tybee are known for consistent action, and you'll fish spots where these species love to hang out. It's a great way to get comfortable with fishing while actually catching fish in one of Georgia's best inshore fisheries.

Trip Pricing and Availabilities:

Half Day Redfish Trip - Perfect for New Anglers

Looking to get your feet wet in the world of inshore fishing? Captain Trey Wagner's beginner-friendly charter out of Tybee Island is exactly what you need. This isn't some rushed tourist trap—it's a genuine 4-hour learning experience where you'll actually understand what you're doing while targeting some of Georgia's most popular inshore species. Whether you've never held a rod or just want to sharpen your skills in new waters, this trip gives you the perfect blend of education and action in Tybee's productive coastal waters.

What to Expect on the Water

Captain Trey keeps things simple and stress-free, which is exactly what first-timers need. You'll launch from Tybee Island and head into the calm inshore waters where redfish, trout, and flounder call home. The beauty of this trip is that it's designed around your comfort level—no pressure to perform, no judgment if your first cast goes sideways. With a maximum of just 2 guests, you get personalized attention that bigger boats simply can't offer. The captain provides all tackle, bait, and equipment, so you literally just need to show up ready to learn. These protected waters stay relatively calm compared to offshore conditions, making it ideal for anyone who might be concerned about seasickness or rough conditions.

Techniques You'll Master

Inshore fishing is all about reading the water and understanding fish behavior, and Captain Trey breaks it down in ways that make sense. You'll learn how to work artificial lures around structure, present live bait naturally, and recognize the subtle signs that fish are feeding. The techniques vary depending on what you're targeting—sight fishing for redfish in shallow water requires a different approach than working trout over grass flats or bouncing bottom rigs for flounder. The captain uses light tackle that's forgiving for beginners but still gives you a real fight when you hook up. You'll practice casting accuracy, learn to feel the bottom, and understand how tides affect fish movement. By the end of 4 hours, you'll have a solid foundation in inshore fundamentals that you can take anywhere.

Top Catches This Season

The target species on this trip represent some of the best inshore fishing Georgia has to offer. Redfish are the crown jewel of these waters—they fight hard, grow big, and provide that classic copper-colored photo opportunity that every angler wants. These drum can range from schoolie-sized teens up to hefty bull reds that'll test your arms and your drag system. They're most active during moving tides and love to cruise shallow flats and creek mouths. What makes reds so exciting is their willingness to eat—they're aggressive feeders that will smash topwater plugs, crush live shrimp, and inhale cut bait with equal enthusiasm.

Spotted sea trout are the bread and butter of inshore fishing around Tybee Island. These beautiful fish have delicate mouths but fight with surprising strength for their size. Most trout you'll encounter run 14 to 20 inches, with the occasional gator trout pushing well over 2 feet. They're structure-oriented fish that love grass beds, oyster bars, and drop-offs. Spring and fall offer the most consistent action, but summer mornings and evenings can be phenomenal. Trout are perfect for beginners because they're relatively easy to hook and provide steady action when you find a school.

Flounder might not win any beauty contests, but they're absolute table fare champions and provide a unique fishing challenge. These flatfish are masters of camouflage, lying buried in sand and mud waiting to ambush prey. Summer is prime time for flounder fishing around Tybee, especially near inlet mouths and channel edges. The technique is different from redfish and trout—you're working the bottom with jigs, live finger mullet, or strips of squid. When a flounder hits, it feels like you've hooked a wet towel, but that just makes the fight more interesting. Door-mat flounder over 20 inches are legitimate trophies that even experienced anglers get excited about.

Time to Book Your Spot

This beginner-friendly charter fills up quickly, especially during peak fishing seasons when the bite is hot. Captain Trey's patient teaching approach and intimate group size make this one of the top-rated learning experiences on Tybee Island. You're not just buying a fishing trip—you're investing in skills and confidence that will serve you well on future fishing adventures. The 4-hour format gives you enough time to really understand what you're doing without overwhelming you with information. Book early to secure your preferred dates, and don't forget to bring sunscreen, a hat, and your camera for those first-fish photos. Whether you're looking to start a new hobby or finally learn what all the fishing fuss is about, this trip delivers exactly what new anglers need most: knowledge, patience, and fish in the cooler.

Learn more about the species

Redfish

Redfish are perfect for beginners because they're aggressive feeders and put up a solid fight without being too overwhelming. Around Tybee, most slot fish run 18-27 inches and really use that broad body to pull drag. You'll find them in super shallow water - sometimes so skinny their backs show above the surface. They love oyster bars, creek mouths, and grassy flats where they cruise looking for crabs and shrimp. Spring and fall are prime time, but they bite year-round here. That distinctive black spot near their tail makes them easy to identify, and guests get excited seeing them cruise in clear, shallow water. The copper-bronze color is beautiful, and they make excellent table fare with firm, mild meat. These fish will eat just about anything - live shrimp, cut bait, or artificials. Here's a local tip: when you spot one tailing in the shallows, cast ahead of where it's moving, not right at it.

Sea Trout

Speckled trout are one of our most reliable inshore targets around Tybee's grass flats and shallow waters. Most run 14-18 inches and 1-2 pounds, perfect for beginners learning to feel bites and work fish. They love those soft sandy bottoms with scattered grass beds in 2-6 feet of water. Early morning and evening produce the best action, especially during cooler months when they school up in deeper channels. What guests love about trout is they hit artificials hard - shrimp-tipped jigs and soft plastics work great. They're scrappy fighters that make good runs and jump occasionally. The meat is white, flaky, and mild - just don't overcook it or it gets mushy. During winter, look for them in deeper holes and creek mouths where they gather in bigger numbers. My local trick: when the bite slows, try working your lure slower and closer to the bottom where they're often suspended just off the grass.

Sheepshead

Those black and white stripes earn sheepshead the nickname "convict fish," but what really gets people's attention are their human-like teeth. These guys typically run 1-3 pounds around Tybee, though bigger ones up to 8 pounds show up near dock pilings and bridge structures. They love munching on barnacles and fiddler crabs, so look for them around any structure with good cover. Spring through fall gives you the best action when they're most active. What makes sheepshead fun is they're notorious bait thieves - they'll nibble your shrimp or crab until it's gone if you're not paying attention. The fight isn't flashy, but they're bulldogs that use their broad sides against you. Plus, the white, flaky meat is some of the best eating you'll find. My tip: keep your bait snug against the pilings and set the hook hard the moment you feel weight.

About the Catalina Charters

Vehicle Guest Capacity: 4

Manufacturer Name: Yamaha

Maximum Cruising Speed: 50

Number of Engines: 1

Horsepower per Engine: 300

Captain Trey Wagner's boat is your gateway to learning the basics of inshore fishing around Tybee Island's productive coastal waters. This well-equipped vessel comfortably handles up to 2 guests, making it ideal for personalized instruction and one-on-one attention. The boat features all the fishing gear you'll need for targeting redfish, trout, and flounder, plus safety equipment for peace of mind. Built for Georgia's inshore waters, it provides a stable platform perfect for beginners getting their first taste of saltwater fishing. Captain Trey keeps everything organized and accessible, so you can focus on learning proper techniques without worrying about equipment. The boat's size allows easy movement around the deck while practicing casting and reeling in your catch. With comfortable seating and plenty of rod storage, it's designed to make your 4-hour learning experience as enjoyable as possible. Whether you're figuring out how to bait a hook or fighting your first redfish, this boat gives you the perfect setting to build confidence on the water.

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