Lazaretto Creek offers a public fishing pier and boat-launching access near U.S. 80 on the approach to Tybee Island. Decide whether you are visiting with rods, carrying a small craft or towing a boat before unloading: the same waterfront stop serves different activities, and each needs a suitable place to park and approach the water.
Find the pier and launch area
Georgia DNR’s accessible-fishing directory lists Lazaretto Creek Fishing Pier, 1 Old U.S. Hwy. 80, Tybee Island, GA 31328. Chatham County’s facility directory describes the combined ramp and pier on East Highway 80, with parking and restrooms.
DNR’s Lazaretto Boat Ramp page gives the launch point as 32.01411, -80.88413. Its separate fishing inventory places the pier close by at 32.01415, -80.88409. Save the facility name and Old U.S. 80 address as well as the coordinates, then follow the current signed entrance.
Before the drive, check Georgia 511 for current U.S. 80 traffic and construction information. This guide does not establish a bridge-work detour or guarantee that the usual approach will be available on your travel date. Follow temporary signs and barriers at the site rather than trying to reach a map point through a restricted area.
Fishing visit or boat launch?
For a pier outing, park legally and inspect the route before carrying a cooler, chair or tackle. Keep the walkway and accessible fishing positions clear. Set up where casting and retrieving a line will not interfere with other visitors or boat handling.
For a trailered boat, prepare equipment away from the launching lanes and inspect the ramp before backing down. Agree on passenger boarding and boat recovery arrangements first. The presence of a courtesy dock does not mean it is available for prolonged parking or as an unrestricted fishing platform.
For a kayak or paddleboard, check the transfer into the water and the return landing at the water level you find. A paved launch does not establish a gentle current, a dedicated paddlecraft launch or a route suited to a first outing. Choose a trip your group can complete under the expected return conditions.
Facilities listed by the agencies
DNR describes one triple-lane ramp, a paved ramp surface, paved parking, a courtesy dock and life jackets available. Bring your own properly fitted life jacket instead of relying on the sizes or stock at the site. The county lists restrooms, and DNR’s fishing inventory also marks restrooms for the pier.
Confirm essential facilities before a special trip. The official pages used here do not establish a current hours or fee schedule, parking capacity, bait sales or equipment rental. Do not build a visit around services that are not confirmed.
Accessibility: the route matters
DNR marks an accessible fishing structure/location, a paved footpath from parking to fishing and wheelchair fishing cutouts in the rails. Its accessible-parking and fish-cleaning-station fields are blank. A blank field does not prove that an amenity is absent, and a marked feature does not establish the condition of the whole route today.
If a step-free approach is essential, ask about parking, gate access, the path surface and any temporary detour before leaving. On arrival, check that the route and a suitable fishing position work for your group. Keep the paved approach and rail cutouts open to other visitors.
Tides, ramp ends and a return plan
Read DNR’s current access alerts before launching. An October 28, 2026 statewide caution warns of unusually low water at many locations, shallow launching depths and exposed ramp ends or sharp drop-offs. That is not a depth report for Lazaretto Creek; inspect the actual ramp and water conditions before using it.
Check the tide, wind and weather for both the start and finish of your outing. A useful launching depth can change during the day. Wear life jackets when boating or paddling, protect a communication device from water and leave your return plan with someone ashore.
For a pier session, allow room behind you before casting, supervise children near railings and collect used hooks and line. Leave the waterfront if thunder is heard. Do not climb over a barrier or down to the water to recover snagged tackle.
Fishing licenses and current limits
Review DNR’s fishing-license and Saltwater Information Program requirements. Saltwater anglers generally need the appropriate Georgia fishing license and free SIP permit, subject to applicable exemptions. The SIP permit renews annually even when a fishing license lasts longer.
Use the current finfish seasons, size and possession limits before deciding what to keep. The access inventories do not provide a dependable catch calendar for this pier. Identify the fish and check its current rule rather than assuming that a species mentioned in a coastal fishing report can be kept.
Contacts and other coastal access options
DNR’s ramp page lists National Park Service, Fort Pulaski, as its contact at 912-226-4908. For county facility information, Chatham County Parks lists 912-652-6780. Use the contact appropriate to your access question and confirm any essential arrangement before departure.
For another Wilmington River pier-and-ramp choice, see Frank W. Spencer Park. For a park-based shore-fishing option, compare Thunderbolt Fishing Pier at W.E. Honey Park. These are separate destinations, not a suggested paddling route between them.
For an oceanfront outing on Tybee, compare the Tybee Island Fishing Pier guide. It covers separate pier and restroom hours, city parking, accessibility and temporary event-access checks at Tybrisa Street.
Browse more Georgia outdoor guides through the Destinations directory. You can also visit the Outdoor Adventures shop for outdoor-inspired merchandise.
Map: Lazaretto Creek pier and ramp area
The map uses the pier point from DNR’s public-fishing inventory: 32.01415, -80.88409. The ramp’s listed coordinates are immediately nearby. Use this for land-side orientation, follow current entrance and parking signs, and use proper navigation resources for any on-water trip.
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