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2,653-acre Ensenada de Boca Vieja fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (73.83% measured, 99.85% assessed), source-traceable coastal structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 52 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:
Ensenada de Boca Vieja maps at 2,657 acres behind 8.9 miles of shoreline — one island included. A shoreline index of 1.2 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. About 39% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 3.2 mi end to end and 1.8 mi across at its widest. If the bite dies, Bahía de San Juan is 3 mi to the east.
Start shallow in spring: atlantic tarpon sit in 3 to 25 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 35 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in about 33 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic tarpon in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a heavy paddletail or a swimbait in pass current until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (14 ft) | 4-6 inch paddletail, Suspending baitfish plug |
| Summer | 4 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (33 ft) | Heavy paddletail, Swimbait in pass current |
| Fall | 3 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (14 ft) | Mullet-profile swimbait, Surface plug |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dusk | Surveyed channel edge (33 ft) | Slow-rolled paddletail, Suspending plug |
Early season jack crevalle use the shallows, holding in 2 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 3 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 35 ft. Put Surveyed channel edge first on the milk run — a drop-off near 33 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a pencil popper or a casting spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (14 ft) | Surface popper, Metal jig |
| Summer | 3 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (33 ft) | Pencil popper, Casting spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (14 ft) | Topwater walker, Metal jig |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dusk | Surveyed channel edge (33 ft) | Compact metal jig, Slow-rolled paddletail |
When the water first warms, yellowtail snapper slide up into 7 to 52 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 7 to 52 ft, winter 8 to 52 ft. If you only fish one area, make it NOAA charted rock bottom: a hard bottom around 11 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a micro jig or a small paddletail rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 7 to 52 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (11 ft) | Small bucktail, Light vertical jig |
| Summer | 7 to 52 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (11 ft) | Micro jig, Small paddletail |
| Fall | 7 to 52 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (11 ft) | Small vertical jig, Baitfish streamer |
| Winter | 8 to 52 ft | dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (11 ft) | Small jig worked deep, Bucktail |
Start shallow in spring: mutton snapper sit in 6 to 52 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 7 to 52 ft covers summer, 9 to 52 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: NOAA charted rock bottom, a hard bottom in the 11 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a heavy bucktail or a vertical jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 52 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (11 ft) | Bucktail near bottom, Paddletail |
| Summer | 7 to 52 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (11 ft) | Heavy bucktail, Vertical jig |
| Fall | 7 to 52 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (11 ft) | Bucktail + strip, Slow vertical jig |
| Winter | 9 to 52 ft | dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (11 ft) | Slow jig, Bottom bucktail |
In spring, great barracuda run shallow here, mostly 2 to 45 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 3 to 52 ft before dropping to 4 to 52 ft for winter. Winter great barracuda concentrate at NOAA charted rock bottom, a prime-rated hard bottom around 11 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a fast swimbait or a spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 45 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (11 ft) | Fast tube lure, Long minnow plug |
| Summer | 3 to 52 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (11 ft) | Fast swimbait, Spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 52 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (11 ft) | Mullet-profile plug, Tube lure |
| Winter | 4 to 52 ft | midday & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (11 ft) | Long minnow plug, Fast jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: gray snapper (mangrove snapper) in 3 to 22 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 30 ft before dropping to 8 to 45 ft for winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted pier, a dock line in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for gray snapper (mangrove snapper) in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a small bucktail or a paddletail gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (7 ft) | Small paddletail, Jighead + shrimp imitation |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (7 ft) | Small bucktail, Paddletail |
| Fall | 5 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (7 ft) | Small vertical jig, Jighead + paddletail |
| Winter | 8 to 45 ft | midday | NOAA charted pier (7 ft) | Small jig worked slowly |
Structure-wise the chart holds 28 features, led in depth by Surveyed channel edge at roughly 33 ft.
Access data: Puerto Rico DRNA — Guía del Navegante public access inventory. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Puerto Rico waters are set by the Puerto Rico DRNA (current fishing regulation) — and special regulations can apply to Ensenada de Boca Vieja specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Puerto Rico fishing regulations →
Ensenada de Boca Vieja is about 52 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 atlantic tarpon, jack crevalle, yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper, great barracuda, gray snapper (mangrove snapper) on Ensenada de Boca Vieja.
NOAA charted rock bottom is the top-rated area: a hard bottom in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for yellowtail snapper in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For atlantic tarpon, 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 Ensenada de Boca Vieja is regulated by the Puerto Rico DRNA (current fishing regulation). Check the official Puerto Rico regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Bahía de San Juan 3 mi · Bahía de Puerto Nuevo 4 mi · Lago La Plata 11 mi · Lago Loíza 14 mi · Lago Carite 27 mi · Lago de Matrullas 27 mi · Lago Patillas 32 mi · Lago Toa Vaca 32 mi · Lago Guayabal 34 mi · Lago Dos Bocas 34 mi · Puerto de Humacao 34 mi · Lago Caonillas 35 mi
See how Ensenada de Boca Vieja stacks up: best gray snapper (mangrove snapper) lakes in Puerto Rico · best atlantic tarpon lakes in Puerto Rico · best jack crevalle lakes in Puerto Rico · best yellowtail snapper lakes in Puerto Rico
Browse all Puerto Rico fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 74% measured, 26% 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.