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Fishing East Bay: what the data says
26,826-acre bay near Milton. The water tops out around 18 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Red Drum (Redfish) fishing at East 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. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for summer red drum (redfish). Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait and you're in the game.
| 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 18 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 East Bay
Start shallow in spring: spotted seatrout sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 4 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 18 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. A popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) covers the summer program.
| 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 18 ft | midday & dusk | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
Southern Flounder fishing at East Bay
Spring southern flounder on East Bay hold shallow, usually 2 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 18 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 18 ft. The spot to know is Old creek channel, a creek channel in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for southern flounder in spring. Best bite is early morning. 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 | 4 to 18 ft | midday | 3/8 oz bucktail + Gulp (passes), Big paddletail on the jetty edge |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Slow jig + scented grub in the holes |
Sheepshead fishing at East Bay
Start shallow in spring: sheepshead sit in 4 to 18 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 3 to 15 ft, and winter fish hold in 5 to 18 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 8 ft that scores good in spring. Best bite is early morning. A small jig + crab piece covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 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 18 ft | midday | Jighead + shrimp, Small crab jig |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Heavier jig + crab (deep pilings) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 17 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 8 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 5 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 2 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 2 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
- East Bay River inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 2 ft
- Creek inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 2 ft
- Old creek channel: creek channel, around 2 ft
- Weed flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is East Bay?
East Bay is about 18 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 East Bay?
Anglers target red drum (redfish), spotted seatrout, southern flounder, sheepshead on East Bay.
Where is the best fishing spot on East Bay?
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for spotted seatrout in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish East 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 · Escambia Bay · Pensacola Bay · Choctawhatchee Bay · Merritts Mill Pond · Lake Talquin
See how East 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.