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7,898-acre sound near Hilton Head Island. The water tops out around 52 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetric surveys, so measured depths remain distinct from source interpolation. The channels, holes and drop-offs come from the source data, not a distance-from-shore model. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
The drawn water covers 7,871 acres wrapped in 18.3 miles of bank, with a single island in the mix. A middling shoreline index (1.5) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. About 93% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 6.6 mi end to end and 3.4 mi across at its widest. Wright River sits 5 mi west — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring red drum (redfish) on Calibogue Sound hold shallow, usually 1 to 8 ft. They move out to 2 to 12 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 15 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & midday | Wright River inflow (2 ft) | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Old creek channel (2 ft) | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Spring puts spotted seatrout in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 15 ft, wintering in 5 to 20 ft. Spring spotted seatrout concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
Early season southern flounder use the shallows, holding in 2 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 3 to 18 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 40 ft. Put Old creek channel first on the milk run — a creek channel near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a jighead + gulp swimming mullet or a bucktail tipped with shrimp and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn | Old creek channel (2 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (white/chartreuse), Bucktail + Gulp shrimp |
| Summer | 3 to 18 ft | dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jighead + Gulp swimming mullet, Bucktail tipped with shrimp |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | 3/8 oz bucktail + Gulp (passes), Big paddletail on the jetty edge |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Slow jig + scented grub in the holes |
Early season sheepshead use the shallows, holding in 5 to 25 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 15 ft; winter keeps them in 10 to 30 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 9 ft, good for spring. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a small jig + crab piece and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + fiddler, Sheepshead jig + shrimp piece |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Small jig + crab piece |
| Fall | 5 to 20 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jighead + shrimp, Small crab jig |
| Winter | 10 to 30 ft | midday | open water | Heavier jig + crab (deep pilings) |
Come spring, look for black drum tight to the bank in 4 to 25 ft. Through summer count on 3 to 18 ft; the winter hold is 8 to 35 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 9 ft of water and rates prime come winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A shrimp imitation dragged slowly or a small crab jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 25 ft | midday & dusk | open water | Crab-tipped bottom jig, Shrimp on a jighead |
| Summer | 3 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | Shrimp imitation dragged slowly, Small crab jig |
| Fall | 4 to 22 ft | dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Crab-tipped jig, Scented shrimp jig |
| Winter | 8 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Heavy bottom jig + crab |
Spring puts atlantic tarpon in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 35 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 9 ft, rated prime for summer atlantic tarpon. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A heavy paddletail or a swimbait in pass current covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | 4-6 inch paddletail, Suspending baitfish plug |
| Summer | 4 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Heavy paddletail, Swimbait in pass current |
| Fall | 3 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Mullet-profile swimbait, Surface plug |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Slow-rolled paddletail, Suspending plug |
Structure-wise the chart holds 10 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 51 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for South Carolina waters are set by the South Carolina DNR (saltwater) — and special regulations can apply to Calibogue Sound specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official South Carolina fishing regulations →
Calibogue Sound is about 52 ft (16 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetric surveys, so measured depths remain distinct from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target red drum (redfish), spotted seatrout, southern flounder, sheepshead, black drum, atlantic tarpon on Calibogue Sound.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for spotted seatrout in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For red drum (redfish), 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 Calibogue Sound is regulated by the South Carolina DNR (saltwater). Check the official South Carolina regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Wright River 5 mi, SC/GA · Sapelo Sound 43 mi, GA · Doboy Sound 54 mi, GA · Saint Simons Sound 74 mi, GA · Brunswick River 75 mi, GA · Altamaha River 79 mi, GA · Cooper River 80 mi · Hamlin Sound 83 mi · Saint Andrew Sound 83 mi, GA · Bullyard Sound 85 mi · Lake Moultrie 97 mi · Bulls Bay 99 mi
Browse all South Carolina fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (ENC soundings, MLLW datum). 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.