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Fishing Choctawhatchee Bay: what the data says
83,786-acre bay near Destin. The water tops out around 39 ft. The depth chart is built from real NOAA hydrographic survey soundings (depths referenced to low tide), so the channels, holes and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Red Drum (Redfish) fishing at Choctawhatchee Bay
Start shallow in spring: red drum (redfish) sit in 1 to 8 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 2 to 12 ft, and by winter most fish are in 3 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Feeding flat: a feeding flat around 7 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & midday | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Spotted Seatrout fishing at Choctawhatchee Bay
Spring spotted seatrout on Choctawhatchee Bay hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 4 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 20 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring spotted seatrout. Best bite is early morning. Summer baits: a popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dusk | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
Southern Flounder fishing at Choctawhatchee Bay
In spring, southern flounder run shallow here, mostly 2 to 15 ft. They move out to 3 to 18 ft in summer and finish the year down in 12 to 39 ft. Old creek channel is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring southern flounder. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A jighead + gulp swimming mullet or a bucktail tipped with shrimp covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn | 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (white/chartreuse), Bucktail + Gulp shrimp |
| Summer | 3 to 18 ft | dawn | Jighead + Gulp swimming mullet, Bucktail tipped with shrimp |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | midday | 3/8 oz bucktail + Gulp (passes), Big paddletail on the jetty edge |
| Winter | 12 to 39 ft | midday | Slow jig + scented grub in the holes |
Sheepshead fishing at Choctawhatchee Bay
In spring, sheepshead run shallow here, mostly 5 to 25 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 15 ft, and winter fish hold in 10 to 30 ft. The spot to know is Marina / dock area, a dock line in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for sheepshead in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a small jig + crab piece gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | 1/4 oz jighead + fiddler, Sheepshead jig + shrimp piece |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn | Small jig + crab piece |
| Fall | 5 to 20 ft | midday | Jighead + shrimp, Small crab jig |
| Winter | 10 to 30 ft | midday | Heavier jig + crab (deep pilings) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 37 ft
- Deepest basin: deep basin, around 37 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 23 ft
- Shallow feeding flat: feeding flat, around 14 ft
- Shoreline point: point, around 11 ft
- Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 11 ft
- Shoreline point: point, around 7 ft
- Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 7 ft
- Shallow flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 4 ft
- Marina / dock area: dock line, around 4 ft
- Creek inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 4 ft
- Weed flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
- Rock reef: rock pile, around 3 ft
Common questions
How deep is Choctawhatchee Bay?
Choctawhatchee Bay is about 39 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real NOAA hydrographic surveys (charted soundings referenced to low tide), so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Choctawhatchee Bay?
Anglers target red drum (redfish), spotted seatrout, southern flounder, sheepshead on Choctawhatchee Bay.
Where is the best fishing spot on Choctawhatchee Bay?
Feeding flat is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for red drum (redfish) in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Choctawhatchee Bay?
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.
Nearby waters
Santa Rosa Sound · East Bay · Escambia Bay · Pensacola Bay · Merritts Mill Pond · Lake Talquin
See how Choctawhatchee Bay stacks up: best red drum (redfish) lakes in Florida · best spotted seatrout lakes in Florida · best southern flounder lakes in Florida · best sheepshead lakes in Florida
Browse all Florida fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (ENC soundings, MLLW datum). How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.