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11-acre Denis 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 46 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Denis Bay maps at 11 acres behind 0.6 miles of shoreline. Nearly circular (index 1.2), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 60% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. If the bite dies, Hawksnest Bay is 0 mi to the southwest.
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. Surveyed channel edge is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 28 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 | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | 4-6 inch paddletail, Suspending baitfish plug |
| Summer | 4 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | Heavy paddletail, Swimbait in pass current |
| Fall | 3 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | Mullet-profile swimbait, Surface plug |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dusk | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | Slow-rolled paddletail, Suspending plug |
When the water first warms, jack crevalle slide up into 2 to 25 ft. Summer is a 3 to 35 ft game here, winter a 5 to 35 ft one. Start at Surveyed channel edge. It's a drop-off holding about 28 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a pencil popper or a casting spoon rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (14 ft) | Surface popper, Metal jig |
| Summer | 3 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | Pencil popper, Casting spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | Topwater walker, Metal jig |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dusk | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | Compact metal jig, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Early season yellowtail snapper use the shallows, holding in 6 to 46 ft. Even in summer they hold at 7 to 46 ft; winter keeps them in 7 to 46 ft. The chart's best answer is NOAA charted rock bottom — hard bottom, 14 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a micro jig or a small paddletail and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (14 ft) | Small bucktail, Light vertical jig |
| Summer | 7 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (14 ft) | Micro jig, Small paddletail |
| Fall | 7 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (14 ft) | Small vertical jig, Baitfish streamer |
| Winter | 7 to 46 ft | dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (14 ft) | Small jig worked deep, Bucktail |
In spring, mutton snapper run shallow here, mostly 6 to 46 ft. Summer keeps them at 6 to 46 ft, and they winter in 8 to 46 ft. NOAA charted rock bottom is the standout, a hard bottom at roughly 14 ft, rated prime for spring mutton snapper. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a heavy bucktail or a vertical jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (14 ft) | Bucktail near bottom, Paddletail |
| Summer | 6 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (14 ft) | Heavy bucktail, Vertical jig |
| Fall | 6 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (14 ft) | Bucktail + strip, Slow vertical jig |
| Winter | 8 to 46 ft | dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (14 ft) | Slow jig, Bottom bucktail |
Start shallow in spring: great barracuda sit in 2 to 45 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 3 to 46 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 46 ft. The spot to know is NOAA charted rock bottom, a hard bottom in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for great barracuda in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a fast swimbait or a spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 45 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (14 ft) | Fast tube lure, Long minnow plug |
| Summer | 3 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (14 ft) | Fast swimbait, Spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 46 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (14 ft) | Mullet-profile plug, Tube lure |
| Winter | 4 to 46 ft | midday & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (14 ft) | Long minnow plug, Fast jig |
Spring puts gray snapper (mangrove snapper) in skinny water — 3 to 22 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 30 ft, wintering in 8 to 45 ft. Summer gray snapper (mangrove snapper) concentrate at NOAA charted rock bottom, a prime-rated hard bottom around 14 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A small bucktail or a paddletail covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (14 ft) | Small paddletail, Jighead + shrimp imitation |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (14 ft) | Small bucktail, Paddletail |
| Fall | 5 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (14 ft) | Small vertical jig, Jighead + paddletail |
| Winter | 8 to 45 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (14 ft) | Small jig worked slowly |
The chart marks 3 structure features on Denis Bay; the deepest is Surveyed channel edge at about 28 ft.
Access data: National Park Service — Virgin Islands National Park Superintendent's Compendium and Cruz Bay Visitor Center POI. 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 National Park Service and USVI DPNR (St. John park fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Denis Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official U.S. Virgin Islands fishing regulations →
Denis Bay is about 46 ft (14 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 Denis Bay.
NOAA charted rock bottom is the top-rated area: a hard bottom in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for yellowtail snapper in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Denis Bay is regulated by the National Park Service and USVI DPNR (St. John park fishing). 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.
Hawksnest Bay 0 mi · Peter Bay 1 mi · Caneel Bay 1 mi · Cinnamon Bay 1 mi · Francis Bay 2 mi · Monte Bay 2 mi · Great Cruz Bay 2 mi · Fish Bay 3 mi · Rendezvous Bay 3 mi · Genti Bay 3 mi · Leinster Bay 3 mi · Reef Bay 3 mi
See how Denis 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.