Salt water depth chart
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Rating depth structure for coho salmon.
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15-acre Bald Headed Cove fishing map at Pennock Island with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (100% measured), ADF&G Tongass Narrows fish evidence, measured fishing spots and verified Ketchikan boat access. The water tops out around 44 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to NAVD88; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The channels, holes and drop-offs come from the source data, not a distance-from-shore model. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
The drawn water covers 15 acres wrapped in 0.9 miles of bank, with 3 islands in the mix. With a 1.6 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. About 45% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 0.3 mi. Its nearest charted neighbour, Clam Cove, is 2 mi to the west.
When the water first warms, coho salmon slide up into 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 13 to 44 ft, and by winter most fish are in 13 to 44 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Surveyed channel edge: a drop-off around 28 ft that scores good in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 13 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 13 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Spring puts pink salmon in skinny water — 6 to 44 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 44 ft, and winter fish hold in 10 to 44 ft. Summer pink salmon concentrate at NOAA charted underwater rock 2, a prime-rated rock pile around 9 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A pink or orange casting spoon or a small hoochie covers the summer program.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | Small chrome spoon, Compact herring-pattern jig |
| Summer | 2 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock 2 (9 ft) | Pink or orange casting spoon, Small hoochie |
| Fall | 1 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock 2 (9 ft) | Small bright spoon, Pink jig |
| Winter | 10 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 90 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | Small vertical jig |
Early season chum salmon use the shallows, holding in 6 to 44 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 44 ft; winter keeps them in 11 to 44 ft. The chart's best answer is NOAA charted underwater rock 2 — rock pile, 9 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a chartreuse or pink hoochie or a bright spoon and you're in the game.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | Chrome spoon, Compact baitfish jig |
| Summer | 3 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock 2 (9 ft) | Chartreuse or pink hoochie, Bright spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock 2 (9 ft) | Bright spinner, Pink or chartreuse jig |
| Winter | 11 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 100 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
Start shallow in spring: pacific halibut sit in 10 to 44 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 5 to 44 ft covers summer, 11 to 44 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: NOAA charted rock bottom 2, a hard bottom in the 14 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in midday and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a heavy vertical jig or a large swimbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 35 to 160 ft | dawn | NOAA charted rock bottom 2 (14 ft) | Heavy glow jig, Large grub on lead head |
| Summer | 5 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 180 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted rock bottom 2 (14 ft) | Heavy vertical jig, Large swimbait |
| Fall | 7 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 35 to 220 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock bottom 2 (14 ft) | Heavy glow jig, Large grub |
| Winter | 11 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 70 to 280 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | Heavy slow-pitch jig |
When the water first warms, lingcod slide up into 8 to 44 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 5 to 44 ft, winter 11 to 44 ft. If you only fish one area, make it NOAA charted underwater rock 2: a rock pile around 9 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in midday and early morning. Keep a heavy swimbait or a metal jig rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 140 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock 2 (9 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Summer | 5 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 180 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock 2 (9 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Fall | 7 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 200 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock 2 (9 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large swimbait |
| Winter | 11 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 60 to 240 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock bottom 2 (14 ft) | Heavy slow-pitch jig |
In spring, black rockfish run shallow here, mostly 6 to 44 ft. Summer keeps them at 4 to 44 ft, and they winter in 8 to 44 ft. Spring black rockfish concentrate at NOAA charted underwater rock 2, a prime-rated rock pile around 9 ft. Fish it in early morning and midday and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a dart jig or a small metal jig most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 80 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted underwater rock 2 (9 ft) | Small metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Summer | 4 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 100 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted underwater rock 2 (9 ft) | Dart jig, Small metal jig |
| Fall | 6 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 120 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock 2 (9 ft) | Vertical metal jig, Compact swimbait |
| Winter | 8 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 140 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock 2 (9 ft) | Slow vertical jig, Dart jig |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Surveyed channel edge, around 28 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Alaska Department of Fish and Game Bar Harbor access map and City of Ketchikan harbor pages. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Alaska waters are set by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (Southeast sport fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Bald Headed Cove specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alaska fishing regulations →
Bald Headed Cove is about 44 ft (13 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to NAVD88; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target coho salmon, pink salmon, chum salmon, pacific halibut, lingcod, black rockfish on Bald Headed Cove.
NOAA charted underwater rock 2 is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for lingcod in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For coho salmon, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Bald Headed Cove is regulated by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (Southeast sport fishing). Check the official Alaska regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Clam Cove 2 mi · Ketchikan Harbor Anchorage Area 3 mi · Ward Cove 7 mi · Seal Cove 10 mi · Ryus Bay 25 mi · Union Lake 71 mi, BC · Border Lake 80 mi, BC · Sarah Lake 81 mi, BC · Wrangell Harbor 85 mi · Bill Lake 88 mi, BC · Toon Lake 89 mi, BC · Marion Lake 90 mi, BC
See how Bald Headed Cove stacks up: best coho salmon lakes in Alaska · best pink salmon lakes in Alaska · best chum salmon lakes in Alaska · best pacific halibut lakes in Alaska
Browse all Alaska fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 100% measured, 0% source-interpolated). How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.