Criminal Defense Attorney in Talahi Island, GA.

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There's an old saying: "A bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at the office."

If you’re looking to get outdoors and toss a line, Savannah and the surrounding region offers no shortage of great places to play hooky.

Whether you enjoy chasing your catch by boat or want to pull out a chair on a pier and take in the view, there are plenty of fun and scenic places throughout the Lowcountry to satisfy any fishing bug.

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Just about any time of year, grouper and snapper are up for grabs in the coastal waters. While other fish such as sea bass, sheepshead, cobia, mahi mahi, mackerel, shark, flounder, redfish, and sea trout can be caught at seasonally as they move through the region.

From river and beach piers, to charter boats that hug the coast or travel out deep, here are some popular places and guides to catch a few fresh fish.

More:New team joins Savannah's charter businesses ready for big catches in Coastal Georgia waters

Just remember, that you'll need a Georgia fishing license to get started, which you can purchase online.

Frank O. Downing Fishing Pier

Cross the Moon River in style and set up shop at the Frank O. Downing Pier, which features excellent fishing, marsh views, and free parking on either side of the bridge.

The pier is located off the Diamond Causeway, which leads to Skidaway Island, and features a scenic panorama of the wide marshland, with epic sunsets and plenty of fish to keep you busy. For more information, visit the Chatham County parks and recreations page.

Bull River Marina

Located on Wilmington Island, Bull River Marina offers fishing, boat tours, and boat charters. They even tout the frequent dolphin sightings that guests experience on their boat rides.

And if you're just in it for a good time, you can book a Dafuskie Island Tour to take a look across the "wide water" to see the rich history of South Carolina's historic island up close. Visit bullrivermarina.com or call (912) 897-7300.

Southern Saltwater Charters

This full-service charter experience is guided by Captain Josiah Riffle, a USCG Certified Charter Captain with years of experience fishing local waters for redfish, trout, flounder, tripletail, sheepshead, sharks, and more.

Located minutes from downtown Savannah on Wilmington Island, Southern Saltwater Charters takes tourists and locals alike out for a fun day on the water and backwater tours. Visit southernsaltwatercharters.com or call (912) 661-4189.

Reel Em' N

Tybee Island is known for excellent year-round fishing conditions with its fair share of fishing piers, wade fishing spots, and deep-water charters. Reel Em’ N Deep Sea Fishing Charters is a deep-water charter service helmed by Captain Derek Brown who has fished the region for nearly two decades.

Each of Reel Em' N's vessels can accommodate up to 20 guests, for fishing or fun. Visit reelemn.com or call (912) 897-4990.

Tybee Beach Pier and Pavilion

For those who want to stay on land while they cast into the water, the Tybee Beach Pier and Pavilion is a popular spot for local and out of town fishers.

Built in 1891, the pier is located just off U.S. 80 at the end of Tybrisa Street, and is open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily with free admission. The pavilion also features a snack bar, picnic tables, and public restrooms.

It's a great place to try your luck with a fishing pole, or just take in a beautiful sunset over the Atlantic.

Lazaretto Creek Fishing Pier

Located under the U.S. Highway 80 bridge that leads into Tybee Island, Lazaretto Creek Fishing Pier is a quaint park with a broad fishing pier facing CoCo's Sunset Grille, Savannah Jetski rentals, and North Island Surf and Kayak.

You can throw in a line and wait for a bite, as you wave to visitors leaving on dolphin tours or renting a kayak for a day to paddle around the island. There's also a boat ramp if you want to launch your own vessel to fish.

And when you're done, there's plenty of dining options available just over the bridge and minutes away on Tybee Island. Visit nps.gov/places/lcbr.htm.

Fort McAllister State Park

Overlooking the Ogeechee River, historic Fort McAllister offers more than its Civil War museum and earthwork fortifications. It also features two great fishing spots, one open to the public, another reserved just for campers at the state park. The park's pier is more than 150 feet long overlooking the river, with picnic pavilions, a playground for the kids, and even a boat ramp nearby.

Hang out on the pier and cast a line, or put a boat in and cruise the historic Ogeechee River.

Cost is $5 parking for the day, with admission ranging $5 to $9. The park open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with shorter hours for the historic site. Visit gastateparks.org/FortMcAllister or call (912) 727-2339.

Kings Ferry

Located further up the Ogeechee River from Fort McAllister, is Kings Ferry boat ramp and pier minutes from Georgetown. The park features a boat ramp, fishing pier, pavilions and tables, and a playground for the kids.

Post up on the pier to try your luck in the bustling Ogeechee River, and stay for the stunning river sunsets. And when you're done, Love's Seafood is right nearby, a favorite spot for locals to grab a bite of fresh Lowcountry seafood.

TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - There will soon be a brand new state of the art facility on Tybee Island for the men and women who protect our waters.

Coast Guard Station Tybee crewmembers held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new 25,000 square-foot multipurpose building on Wednesday. In attendance were crewmembers from Coast Guard Sector Charleston, Coast Guard Cutter Pompano, and Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Tybee Island.

Master Chief Petty Officer Eric D. Risner, the officer-in-charge of Coast Guard Station Tybee, says this facility will help them better serve the community.

Crew members say they’re looking forward to having a station that they’re proud to work out of every day.

“We’re really excited to get this new facility, have the crew come in and be excited about a place where they work,” Coast Guard Station Tybee Chief Petty Officer Warren Wilson said.

Chief Petty Officer Wilson says their station has 40 active-duty crew members and 19 reservists. He says just last year they responded to more than 300 search and rescue cases and completed more than 500 recreational boardings.

“We’re doing that right now out of trailers, so imagine what we can do out of a fully functional station,” he said.

The new building will go from two stories to three and will sit here in the footprint of the old one.

“The previous facility was 40 years old, and it was starting to get outdated. We were putting a lot of band aids on to fix it,” Chief Petty Officer Wilson said.

The state-of-the-art facility will house groups like the Tybee Aids to Navigation team and will be equipped with things like new computer systems, maintenance areas and upgraded living quarters for the crew.

“It’s really crucial and critical to the safety of everybody that comes to the beach,” Tybee Island Fire Department Chief Jeremy Kendrick said.

This project, also a big benefit to Tybee Fire who partners with the Coast Guard.

“Any time a water rescue call goes out, if it’s further off the beach area or in the back waters the coast guard is getting notified,” Chief Kendrick said.

The facility is expected to be done by the spring of 2023.

Chief Petty Officer Wilson says they plan on inviting the community to come back here to tour it because it’s being paid for through taxpayer dollars.

Station Tybee is located north of Tybee lsland, and shares property with Fort Pulaski National Monument guarding the Savannah River entrance.

Copyright 2022 WTOC. All rights reserved.

TALAHI ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - Residents on Talahi Island spent the better part of their morning cleaning up debris left over from Tropical Storm Elsa.

Residents say they went to bed with no power and woke up with it still out. It’s cleaned up now, but it was all because of a massive tree that fell over, knocking down a power line.

Residents on Falligant Avenue woke up to a tree that crashed down and landed right on top of the power line. Residents say the power was knocked out around 11:00 Wednesday night.

“I didn’t really think that it was that windy. Looking at the mess, I realized it was more windy than I thought,” said resident Serena Nasworthy.

Crews were out Thursday morning cutting up the tree and repairing the power lines. But it didn’t stop there. One resident sent us photos of a backyard fence knocked over and a tree uprooted.

“The rain was torrential. That’s mostly what I heard. There was one huge crash of lightning and thunder.”

The loud crash Nasworthy says she heard was her neighbor’s car that had been struck by lightning.

Serena Nasworthy has lived on Talahi Island for more than 50 years and has been through her fair share of storms. She says she made sure she was prepared, especially to lose electricity.

“I sorta counted on no electricity and I thought well I’ve got everything that I have to have, my animals are safe and we’re dry.”

She says she’s left cleaning up small limbs and debris in her yard.

“One of my neighbors said this morning, this is the day I have the love, hate relationship with my trees. I said, the hate part of it is today right? She said ya!”

Nasworthy says she’s thankful for the crews out working to clean up and reminds people to stay prepared and cautious for the remainder of hurricane season.

“Stay aware, watch the news, see where the hurricane is, what it’s going to do and make your decisions based on that.”

Around noon Thursday morning, all of the power had been restored in the neighborhood.

Copyright 2021 WTOC. All rights reserved.

TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - The beaches have been catching bands of rain Monday morning and afternoon.

As far as rain, the heaviest we’ve seen out here Monday came around 1:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. That round had some thunder and lightning, basically what you’d see during a typical pop-up thunderstorm. The sun has basically been behind the clouds all day, with some light drizzle at times too.

That definitely didn’t keep folks from coming out to the beach though, especially surfers looking to take advantage of some bigger than usual waves. Surf conditions also prompted lifeguards to put out the yellow flags, letting folks know there are strong currents as well.

WTOC caught up with one family visiting from the Midwest this week who said this was their first time seeing any kind of effects of a tropical system.

“Right now it looks pretty calm, just a little bit of rain, right? Planning to hang out on Tybee Island today and just enjoy lunch and hang with the family. But yeah, we’ll see what it turns into.” “We brought the girls over about an hour ago to splash in the water before it started. And now we’re going to just hang back and see what unfolds,” said Tony Dorto who is visiting the Savannah area with family.

WTOC asked one beachcomber earlier to see if the rougher surf churned anything valuable up.

“I prefer to come out on a calm day, typically after the storm. So it’s a little hard to detect in the water, with it being rough like this. I’ve got a quarter and a dime…if I do that about 40 more times then I can pay for my parking,” said Bruce O’Donnell.

So not as successful as he would’ve liked, but still a good attitude about it.

The City of Tybee has been in close communication with Chatham Emergency Management Agency since learning about Monday’s possible tropical development. WTOC spoke with Tybee’s city manager Monday morning, who says even before the affects of this system pass, they’re already keeping a close eye on other storm development in the Atlantic.

“We’re looking at severe thunderstorm type weather hitting us here in a couple hours. So we’re also tracking another system that’s out in the Atlantic that’s tracking through the Bahamas in that area. That always keeps us concerned, but it’s a little early in the season. We hope it just dissipates,” said Gillen.

That mindset of always watching what’s next, that lasts all of hurricane season for these city leaders.

Copyright 2021 WTOC. All rights reserved.

While Savannah has earned nationwide acclaim for its gorgeous architecture and thriving food and drink scene, the Georgian city is sorely lacking one particularly charming feature—namely, a beach. Fortunately, the solution for any visitors craving sand and sun can be found just thirty minutes to the east on idyllic Tybee Island, a truly underrated gem of the Georgia coast. Equipped with over three miles of sandy shoreline, Savannah and Tybee go hand in hand for any visitors hoping to craft a truly unforgettable journey across Chatham County.

Tybee is home to a wealth of cozy inns and guest houses, but few properties can compare to DeSoto Beach Hotel, a historic venue perched along the northernmost reaches of Butler Avenue. Founded in 1939, DeSoto first served as a stomping ground for the nation’s wealthiest citizens, ultimately developing into a prominent local hangout spot renowned for its spirited beach parties. Today, the hotel boasts suites adorned with private balconies, an oceanfront game room, a heated pool, and—perhaps most importantly—direct access to the shore. Billing themselves as “Tybee’s Only Beachfront Hotel”, guests at DeSoto are just a short two-minute walk from the idyllic coastal beauty that the island is renowned for.

After a long day of exploring the shores, be sure to unwind with a drink in hand at one of Tybee’s lively bars or restaurants. A paradise for seafood aficionados, the isle is best known for its abundance of marine life served grilled, fried, or blackened. For those staying by Tybee Beach Pier, Sting Ray’s Seafood is the ideal venue for conch fritters, shrimp tacos, and po’ boys, while nearby Pier 16 is perfect for outdoor dining, serving seafood, sandwiches, and an extensive selection of wine and cocktails on their rooftop deck. Any visitors wishing to explore the more northern reaches of Tybee can treat themselves to craft brews and an abundance of seafood dishes at Salt Island Fish and Beer, or venture west to The Crab Shack, a long-standing local favorite perched on the edge of Chimney Creek.

Those wishing to embark on a lengthy bar crawl should look no further than Tybrisa Street, a short avenue lined with a multitude of rustic pubs. If it’s game night, be sure to head to Tybee Time Sports Bar to watch your favorite players with a tasty frozen daiquiri in hand, while neighboring Benny’s Tybee Tavern is a popular venue for darts and karaoke paired with draft beer. Of course, no visit to the island is complete without a stop at Doc’s Bar, a local favorite and fixture of downtown Tybee since 1948.

While it’s easy to get swept up in Tybee’s food and drink scene, be sure to check out some of the island’s fascinating local attractions during your vacation as well. History buffs take note—Tybee’s secluded North Beach is home to the oldest and tallest lighthouse in all of Georgia, standing at a height of 145 feet. After taking in the spectacular views from the top, be sure to head next door to Fort Screven, a late 1800s-era bastion that contains the Tybee Island Museum. If you’d like to spend time exploring Tybee’s neighboring islands, Sundial Charter Tours offers boating excursions to both Little Tybee Island and Wassaw Island, two destinations renowned for their pristine natural beauty and wide array of native coastal Georgian species.

Whether you’re hoping to sunbathe by the water’s edge, hunt for prehistoric shark fossils, or eat your weight in shellfish, Tybee Island offers a plethora of activities suited towards every possible type of visitor. After days spent basking in the sights and sounds of Savannah, be sure to reserve some time to kick back and enjoy the quiet ebb and flow of the waves lapping against Tybee’s eastern coast. While there’s no shortage of spectacular destinations to be found all across Georgia, the natural beauty and rustic charm of Tybee Island is tough to beat.