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20-acre Butler Bay fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (100% measured, 100% assessed), source-traceable coastal structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 30 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
On the chart, Butler Bay draws 21 acres inside 0.8 miles of shoreline. At index 1.3 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 66% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Call it 0.4 mi long by 0.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Limetree Bay, 10 mi southeast of here.
When the water first warms, atlantic tarpon slide up into 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 4 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Surveyed channel edge: a drop-off around 17 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a heavy paddletail or a swimbait in pass current rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (17 ft) | 4-6 inch paddletail, Suspending baitfish plug |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (17 ft) | Heavy paddletail, Swimbait in pass current |
| Fall | 3 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (17 ft) | Mullet-profile swimbait, Surface plug |
| Winter | 4 to 30 ft | dusk | Surveyed channel edge (17 ft) | Slow-rolled paddletail, Suspending plug |
Start shallow in spring: jack crevalle sit in 2 to 25 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in the 17 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a pencil popper or a casting spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (17 ft) | Surface popper, Metal jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (17 ft) | Pencil popper, Casting spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (17 ft) | Topwater walker, Metal jig |
| Winter | 4 to 30 ft | dusk | Surveyed channel edge (17 ft) | Compact metal jig, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Start shallow in spring: yellowtail snapper sit in 4 to 30 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 4 to 30 ft covers summer, 5 to 30 ft covers winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted underwater rock, a rock pile in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for yellowtail snapper in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a micro jig or a small paddletail until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Small bucktail, Light vertical jig |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Micro jig, Small paddletail |
| Fall | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Small vertical jig, Baitfish streamer |
| Winter | 5 to 30 ft | dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Small jig worked deep, Bucktail |
Early season mutton snapper use the shallows, holding in 4 to 30 ft. Even in summer they hold at 4 to 30 ft; winter keeps them in 5 to 30 ft. Put Surveyed channel edge first on the milk run — a drop-off near 17 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a heavy bucktail or a vertical jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Bucktail near bottom, Paddletail |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Heavy bucktail, Vertical jig |
| Fall | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (17 ft) | Bucktail + strip, Slow vertical jig |
| Winter | 5 to 30 ft | dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Slow jig, Bottom bucktail |
Early season great barracuda use the shallows, holding in 1 to 30 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 30 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 30 ft. The chart's best answer is NOAA charted underwater rock — rock pile, 10 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a fast swimbait or a spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 30 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Fast tube lure, Long minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Fast swimbait, Spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Mullet-profile plug, Tube lure |
| Winter | 2 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Long minnow plug, Fast jig |
Spring gray snapper (mangrove snapper) on Butler Bay hold shallow, usually 3 to 22 ft. By summer they slide out to 4 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 30 ft. The chart's best answer is Surveyed channel edge — drop-off, 17 ft, good for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small bucktail or a paddletail.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (17 ft) | Small paddletail, Jighead + shrimp imitation |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (17 ft) | Small bucktail, Paddletail |
| Fall | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (17 ft) | Small vertical jig, Jighead + paddletail |
| Winter | 5 to 30 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (17 ft) | Small jig worked slowly |
Structure-wise the chart holds 4 features, led in depth by Surveyed channel edge at roughly 17 ft.
Access data: USVI DPNR Coastal Zone Management — Public Access Map. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for U.S. Virgin Islands waters are set by the U.S. Virgin Islands DPNR (current fisher handbook) — and special regulations can apply to Butler Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official U.S. Virgin Islands fishing regulations →
Butler Bay is about 30 ft (9 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 Butler Bay.
Surveyed channel edge is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 17 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic tarpon in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
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 Butler Bay is regulated by the U.S. Virgin Islands DPNR (current fisher handbook). Check the official U.S. Virgin Islands regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
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See how Butler Bay stacks up: best gray snapper (mangrove snapper) lakes in U.S. Virgin Islands · best atlantic tarpon lakes in U.S. Virgin Islands · best jack crevalle lakes in U.S. Virgin Islands · best yellowtail snapper lakes in U.S. Virgin Islands
Browse all U.S. Virgin Islands 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.