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47-acre Cay Bay fishing map with NOAA survey-composite MLLW contours (100% measured, 100% assessed), source-traceable measured chart and habitat spots, six regional fish profiles, two forage calendars, connected ramp access and current DPNR/NPS rules. The water tops out around 31 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
The outline encloses 47 acres, worked by 1.3 miles of shoreline. Nearly circular (index 1.4), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. About 12% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 0.5 mi long by 0.3 mi wide at the broadest reach. Its nearest charted neighbour, Crown Bay, is 1 mi to the west.
In spring, atlantic tarpon run shallow here, mostly 3 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 31 ft before dropping to 4 to 31 ft for winter. Summer atlantic tarpon concentrate at Surveyed channel edge, a good-rated drop-off around 27 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a heavy paddletail or a swimbait in pass current most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (9 ft) | 4-6 inch paddletail, Suspending baitfish plug |
| Summer | 4 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Heavy paddletail, Swimbait in pass current |
| Fall | 3 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Mullet-profile swimbait, Surface plug |
| Winter | 4 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Slow-rolled paddletail, Suspending plug |
Come spring, look for jack crevalle tight to the bank in 2 to 25 ft. They move out to 3 to 31 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 31 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Dangerous NOAA charted wreck: a wreck around 13 ft that scores good in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A pencil popper or a casting spoon is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (13 ft) | Surface popper, Metal jig |
| Summer | 3 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Pencil popper, Casting spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Topwater walker, Metal jig |
| Winter | 4 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Compact metal jig, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Spring yellowtail snapper on Cay Bay hold shallow, usually 4 to 31 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 4 to 31 ft in summer, 5 to 31 ft once it turns cold. Put Dangerous NOAA charted wreck first on the milk run — a wreck near 30 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a micro jig or a small paddletail.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Small bucktail, Light vertical jig |
| Summer | 4 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Micro jig, Small paddletail |
| Fall | 4 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Small vertical jig, Baitfish streamer |
| Winter | 5 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 80 ft | dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Small jig worked deep, Bucktail |
Spring puts mutton snapper in skinny water — 4 to 31 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 4 to 31 ft, and winter fish hold in 5 to 31 ft. Winter mutton snapper concentrate at Dangerous NOAA charted wreck, a prime-rated wreck around 30 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A heavy bucktail or a vertical jig covers the summer program.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Bucktail near bottom, Paddletail |
| Summer | 4 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Heavy bucktail, Vertical jig |
| Fall | 4 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 75 ft | dawn & dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Bucktail + strip, Slow vertical jig |
| Winter | 5 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 90 ft | dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Slow jig, Bottom bucktail |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: great barracuda in 1 to 31 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 31 ft through summer, 2 to 31 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Dangerous NOAA charted wreck, a wreck in the 30 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a fast swimbait or a spoon gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 45 ft | dawn & midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Fast tube lure, Long minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Fast swimbait, Spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 55 ft | dawn & midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Mullet-profile plug, Tube lure |
| Winter | 2 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 65 ft | midday & dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Long minnow plug, Fast jig |
In spring, gray snapper (mangrove snapper) run shallow here, mostly 3 to 22 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 31 ft. NOAA charted pier is the standout, a dock line at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for summer gray snapper (mangrove snapper). Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a small bucktail or a paddletail most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (4 ft) | Small paddletail, Jighead + shrimp imitation |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (4 ft) | Small bucktail, Paddletail |
| Fall | 4 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Small vertical jig, Jighead + paddletail |
| Winter | 6 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 45 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Small jig worked slowly |
The chart marks 7 structure features on Cay Bay; the deepest is Dangerous NOAA charted wreck at about 30 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 Cay Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official U.S. Virgin Islands fishing regulations →
Cay Bay is about 31 ft (9 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 atlantic tarpon, jack crevalle, yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper, great barracuda, gray snapper (mangrove snapper) on Cay Bay. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
NOAA charted pier is the top-rated area: a dock line in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for gray snapper (mangrove snapper) in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each 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 Cay 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.
Crown Bay 1 mi · East Gregerie Channel 1 mi · Long Bay 1 mi · West Gregerie Channel 1 mi · Limestone Bay 2 mi · Krum Bay 2 mi · Magens Bay 2 mi · Druif Bay 2 mi · Lindbergh Bay 2 mi · Flamingo Bay 2 mi · Hull Bay 3 mi · Hawksbill Cove 3 mi
See how Cay 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. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (MLLW; 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.