Salt water depth chart
Today's read
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
145-acre Browns Bay fishing map with native-MLLW NOAA survey contours (88.43% measured, 100% assessed), four measured spots including a charted depth-band edge, ten source-bounded fish profiles, three labeled regional forage searches, Meadowdale beach access, Marine Area 9 rules and health guidance. The water tops out around 322 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to MLLW; 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
On the chart, Browns Bay draws 144 acres inside 1.8 miles of shoreline. At index 1.1 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 23% of this chart. Call it 0.7 mi long by 0.5 mi wide at the broadest reach. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Lake Serene, 3 mi northeast of here.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: pacific chinook salmon in 30 to 120 ft. As the season builds they drop to 20 to 150 ft, wintering in 50 to 180 ft. Top water on the chart: NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge, a channel edge in the 67 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a herring or sand-lance spoon or a baitfish hoochie behind a flasher gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 30 to 120 ft | dawn | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Herring-pattern spoon, Three-to-four-inch baitfish swimbait |
| Summer | 20 to 150 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Herring or sand-lance spoon, Baitfish hoochie behind a flasher |
| Fall | 10 to 100 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Compact spoon, Baitfish spinner where legal |
| Winter | 50 to 180 ft | midday | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Slow-trolled spoon, Deep baitfish plug |
In spring, pacific coho salmon run shallow here, mostly 10 to 70 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 100 ft, and winter fish settle into 30 to 100 ft. NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge is the standout, a channel edge at roughly 67 ft, rated prime for summer pacific coho salmon. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a small hoochie behind a flasher or a slim spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Small silver spoon, Slim baitfish fly |
| Summer | 10 to 100 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Small hoochie behind a flasher, Slim spoon |
| Fall | 5 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Small spinner where legal, Compact spoon |
| Winter | 30 to 100 ft | midday | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Slow small spoon, Compact trolling fly |
Spring puts chum salmon in skinny water — 10 to 70 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 4 to 70 ft, and winter fish hold in 25 to 100 ft. Spring chum salmon concentrate at NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge, a prime-rated channel edge around 67 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A chartreuse or pink hoochie or a bright spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Chrome spoon, Compact baitfish jig |
| Summer | 4 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Chartreuse or pink hoochie, Bright spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Bright spinner, Pink or chartreuse jig |
| Winter | 25 to 100 ft | midday | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
Come spring, look for pink salmon tight to the bank in 8 to 60 ft. Expect a summer slide to 3 to 70 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 90 ft. Start at NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge. It's a channel edge holding about 67 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A pink or orange casting spoon or a small hoochie is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Small chrome spoon, Compact herring-pattern jig |
| Summer | 3 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Pink or orange casting spoon, Small hoochie |
| Fall | 2 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Small bright spoon, Pink jig |
| Winter | 20 to 90 ft | midday | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Small vertical jig |
Come spring, look for cutthroat trout tight to the bank in 3 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 40 ft. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | open water | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lingcod in 25 to 140 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 20 to 180 ft before dropping to 60 to 240 ft for winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge, a channel edge in about 67 ft of water that rates prime for lingcod in fall. Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a heavy swimbait or a metal jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 140 ft | dawn | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Summer | 20 to 180 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Fall | 30 to 200 ft | midday | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large swimbait |
| Winter | 60 to 240 ft | midday | NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge (67 ft) | Heavy slow-pitch jig |
Browns Bay also holds cabezon (6 to 100 ft in summer), kelp greenling (4 to 90 ft in summer), pacific halibut (20 to 180 ft in summer), english sole (10 to 90 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 4 structure features on Browns Bay; the deepest is Surveyed channel edge at about 199 ft.
Access data: Snohomish County Meadowdale Beach Park facility page. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Washington waters are set by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Browns Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Washington fishing regulations →
Browns Bay is about 322 ft (98 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to MLLW; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target pacific chinook salmon, pacific coho salmon, chum salmon, pink salmon, cutthroat trout, lingcod, cabezon, kelp greenling, pacific halibut, english sole on Browns Bay.
NOAA charted 18.2 m depth-band edge is the top-rated area: a channel edge in about 67 ft of water that rates prime for pacific chinook salmon in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For pacific chinook 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 Browns Bay is regulated by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Check the official Washington regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Lake Serene 3 mi · Stickney Lake 5 mi · Martha Lake 5 mi · Bitter Lake 8 mi · Deer Lake 9 mi · Port Gamble Bay 11 mi · Buck Lake 11 mi · Green Lake 12 mi · Crystal Lake 12 mi · Shilshole Bay 12 mi · Blackmans Lake 13 mi · Lone Lake 13 mi
See how Browns Bay stacks up: best cutthroat trout lakes in Washington · best pink salmon lakes in Washington · best chum salmon lakes in Washington · best pacific chinook salmon lakes in Washington
Browse all Washington fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Office of Coast Survey and Office for Coastal Management NOAA H12562, H11018 and H08895 Browns Bay hydrographic survey composite (MLLW; 88% measured, 12% 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.