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22,339-acre Pinellas County bay with NOAA survey contours, protected grass flats, oyster habitat, charted wrecks and artificial reefs. The water tops out around 51 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. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Drawn out, this is 22,359 acres of water rimmed by 278.9 miles of bank — 179 islands included. A development index of 13.3 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 93% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. End to end it runs roughly 19.6 mi, about 8.8 mi across. The nearest mapped water is Pass A Grille Channel, 4 mi to the south.
Start shallow in spring: snook sit in 2 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: 2024 patchy seagrass edge, a seagrass edge in the 4 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a flair hawk jig (passes, night) or a big swimbait in the current until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | 2024 patchy seagrass edge (4 ft) | Paddletail on 1/4 oz head, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | 2024 patchy seagrass edge (4 ft) | Flair hawk jig (passes, night), Big swimbait in the current |
| Fall | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | 2024 patchy seagrass edge (4 ft) | Big paddletail (mullet run), Topwater walker |
| Winter | 4 to 15 ft | midday | open water | Slow-rolled paddletail, Scented jerkbait crawled in canals |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: sheepshead in 5 to 25 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 15 ft through summer, 10 to 30 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: 2024 oyster bars edge, an oyster reef in the 5 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a small jig + crab piece gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | 2024 oyster bars edge (5 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + fiddler, Sheepshead jig + shrimp piece |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn | 2024 oyster bars edge (3 ft) | Small jig + crab piece |
| Fall | 5 to 20 ft | midday | 2024 oyster bars edge (5 ft) | Jighead + shrimp, Small crab jig |
| Winter | 10 to 30 ft | midday | 2024 oyster bars edge (10 ft) | Heavier jig + crab (deep pilings) |
Early season spotted seatrout use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 20 ft. Put 2024 patchy seagrass edge first on the milk run — a seagrass edge near 4 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | 2024 patchy seagrass edge (4 ft) | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn | 2024 patchy seagrass edge (4 ft) | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | 2024 patchy seagrass edge (4 ft) | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
Start shallow in spring: red drum (redfish) sit in 1 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 2 to 12 ft, and winter fish settle into 3 to 15 ft. The spot to know is 2024 oyster bars edge, an oyster reef in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for red drum (redfish) in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | 2024 oyster bars edge (2 ft) | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | 2024 oyster bars edge (2 ft) | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & midday | 2024 oyster bars edge (3 ft) | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Early season gray snapper (mangrove snapper) use the shallows, holding in 3 to 22 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 45 ft. Put Little Bird Key Oyster Reef 3 first on the milk run — an artificial reef near 13 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a small bucktail or a paddletail and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | 2024 oyster bars edge (3 ft) | Small paddletail, Jighead + shrimp imitation |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Tarpon Key Oyster Reef 1 (4 ft) | Small bucktail, Paddletail |
| Fall | 5 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Little Bird Key Oyster Reef 3 (13 ft) | Small vertical jig, Jighead + paddletail |
| Winter | 8 to 45 ft | midday | Little Bird Key Oyster Reef 3 (13 ft) | Small jig worked slowly |
In spring, gulf flounder run shallow here, mostly 2 to 14 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 12 to 40 ft. Shallow feeding flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 19 ft, rated prime for summer gulf flounder. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a paddletail dragged on bottom or a bucktail + swimming mullet most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 14 ft | dawn | 2024 patchy seagrass edge (4 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail, Bucktail + scented shrimp |
| Summer | 4 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | Paddletail dragged on bottom, Bucktail + swimming mullet |
| Fall | 6 to 28 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | 3/8 oz bucktail + scented grub, Paddletail on a heavier jighead |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | midday | open water | Slow jig + scented grub |
Boca Ciega Bay also holds gag grouper (6 to 35 ft in summer), permit (3 to 35 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 188 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Shallow feeding flat, sits near 19 ft.
Access data: 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 Boca Ciega Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Florida fishing regulations →
Boca Ciega Bay is about 51 ft (16 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 snook, sheepshead, spotted seatrout, red drum (redfish), gray snapper (mangrove snapper), gulf flounder, gag grouper, permit on Boca Ciega Bay.
Little Bird Key Oyster Reef 3 is the top-rated area: an artificial reef in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for gray snapper (mangrove snapper) in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For snook, 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 Boca Ciega 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.
Pass A Grille Channel 4 mi · Bunces Pass 6 mi · Lower Tampa Bay 11 mi · South Clearwater Harbor 14 mi · Middle Tampa Bay 14 mi · Old Tampa Bay 15 mi · Terra Ceia Bay 16 mi · Manatee River Estuary 19 mi · North Clearwater Harbor 19 mi · Manatee River 21 mi · Longboat Pass 21 mi · Hillsborough Bay 21 mi
See how Boca Ciega Bay stacks up: best red drum (redfish) lakes in Florida · best spotted seatrout lakes in Florida · best sheepshead lakes in Florida · best snook lakes in Florida
Browse all Florida fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 91% measured, 7% 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.