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511-acre Blacklion Bay fishing map with 99.95%-measured NOAA BlueTopo contours, 10 measured pier, seagrass and depth-transition spots, Monroe County fish guidance, Florida Keys survey context, two public small-craft ramps, three forage calendars and current rules. The water tops out around 15 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 season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
On the chart, Blacklion Bay draws 513 acres inside 11.2 miles of shoreline — 18 islands included. A development index of 3.5 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. End to end it runs roughly 1.8 mi, about 0.9 mi across. For a second option, Similar Sound lies 2 mi northeast.
In spring, bonefish run shallow here, mostly 1 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 1 to 12 ft, and winter fish settle into 2 to 15 ft. 2004 - 2015 continuous seagrass edge is the standout, a seagrass edge at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring bonefish. Time it for early morning and midday. You won't need more than a light shrimp jig or a sparse shrimp fly most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 10 ft | dawn & midday | 2004 - 2015 continuous seagrass edge (4 ft) | Small shrimp jig, Shrimp fly |
| Summer | 1 to 12 ft | dawn & midday | 2004 - 2015 continuous seagrass edge (4 ft) | Light shrimp jig, Sparse shrimp fly |
| Fall | 1 to 12 ft | dawn & midday | 2004 - 2015 continuous seagrass edge (4 ft) | Shrimp-pattern jig, Shrimp fly |
| Winter | 2 to 15 ft | midday | 2004 - 2015 continuous seagrass edge (4 ft) | Slow shrimp jig, Small weighted shrimp fly |
Come spring, look for gray snapper (mangrove snapper) tight to the bank in 2 to 15 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 15 ft; the winter hold is 3 to 15 ft. Start at NOAA charted pier. It's a dock line holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A small bucktail or a paddletail is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (3 ft) | Small paddletail, Jighead + shrimp imitation |
| Summer | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (3 ft) | Small bucktail, Paddletail |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (3 ft) | Small vertical jig, Jighead + paddletail |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | midday | NOAA charted pier (3 ft) | Small jig worked slowly |
When the water first warms, mutton snapper slide up into 2 to 15 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 15 ft, winter 3 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it 2004 - 2015 continuous seagrass edge: a seagrass edge around 4 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a heavy bucktail or a vertical jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | 2004 - 2015 continuous seagrass edge (4 ft) | Bucktail near bottom, Paddletail |
| Summer | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | Heavy bucktail, Vertical jig |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | Bucktail + strip, Slow vertical jig |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | dusk | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | Slow jig, Bottom bucktail |
Come spring, look for spotted seatrout tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 4 to 15 ft. Start at 2004 - 2015 continuous seagrass edge. It's a seagrass edge holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | 2004 - 2015 continuous seagrass edge (4 ft) | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn | 2004 - 2015 continuous seagrass edge (4 ft) | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | 2004 - 2015 continuous seagrass edge (4 ft) | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
Early season atlantic tarpon use the shallows, holding in 2 to 15 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 15 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 15 ft. Put Surveyed channel edge first on the milk run — a channel edge near 3 ft that grades good for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a heavy paddletail or a swimbait in pass current and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | 4-6 inch paddletail, Suspending baitfish plug |
| Summer | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | Heavy paddletail, Swimbait in pass current |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | Mullet-profile swimbait, Surface plug |
| Winter | 2 to 15 ft | dusk | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | Slow-rolled paddletail, Suspending plug |
When the water first warms, permit slide up into 2 to 15 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 1 to 15 ft, winter 4 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it 2004 - 2015 continuous seagrass edge: a seagrass edge around 4 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and midday. Keep a crab fly or a crab imitation rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn | 2004 - 2015 continuous seagrass edge (4 ft) | Small crab fly, Shrimp-pattern jig |
| Summer | 1 to 15 ft | dawn & midday | 2004 - 2015 continuous seagrass edge (4 ft) | Crab fly, Crab imitation |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | dawn | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | Crab imitation, Shrimp-pattern jig |
| Winter | 4 to 15 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | Crab imitation worked deep |
Count 10 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, 2004 - 2015 continuous seagrass edge, sits near 4 ft.
Access data: Monroe County Boat Ramps / Florida FWC Boat Ramp Inventory. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Florida waters are set by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (saltwater) — and special regulations can apply to Blacklion Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Florida fishing regulations →
Blacklion Bay is about 15 ft (5 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 bonefish, gray snapper (mangrove snapper), mutton snapper, spotted seatrout, atlantic tarpon, permit on Blacklion Bay.
NOAA charted pier is the top-rated area: a dock line in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for gray snapper (mangrove snapper) in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For bonefish, the summer bite is best in early morning and midday. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Blacklion Bay is regulated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (saltwater). Check the official Florida regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Similar Sound 2 mi · Lower Sugarloaf Sound 6 mi · Garrison Bight 8 mi · Upper Sugarloaf Sound 8 mi · Man of War Harbor 9 mi · Cudjoe Bay 11 mi · Lakes Passage 17 mi · Newfound Harbor 17 mi · Newfound Harbor Channel 17 mi · Coupon Bight 20 mi · East Central Florida Bay 79 mi · Card Sound 99 mi
See how Blacklion Bay stacks up: best spotted seatrout lakes in Florida · best gray snapper (mangrove snapper) lakes in Florida · best permit lakes in Florida · best atlantic tarpon lakes in Florida
Browse all Florida fishing maps or 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.