Salt water depth chart
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19-acre Flamingo 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 29 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. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The outline encloses 19 acres, worked by 0.9 miles of shoreline. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.4) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. 68% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. The basin spans about 0.3 mi end to end and 0.2 mi across at its widest. If the bite dies, Druif Bay is 0 mi to the north.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic tarpon in 3 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 3 to 29 ft before dropping to 4 to 29 ft for winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted underwater rock, a rock pile in about 17 ft of water that rates good for atlantic tarpon in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a heavy paddletail or a swimbait in pass current 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 | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (17 ft) | 4-6 inch paddletail, Suspending baitfish plug |
| Summer | 3 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (17 ft) | Heavy paddletail, Swimbait in pass current |
| Fall | 3 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (17 ft) | Mullet-profile swimbait, Surface plug |
| Winter | 4 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (17 ft) | Slow-rolled paddletail, Suspending plug |
Spring jack crevalle on Flamingo Bay hold shallow, usually 2 to 25 ft. They move out to 2 to 29 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 29 ft. Put NOAA charted underwater rock first on the milk run — a rock pile near 17 ft that grades good for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a pencil popper or a casting spoon.
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 | NOAA charted underwater rock (17 ft) | Surface popper, Metal jig |
| Summer | 2 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (17 ft) | Pencil popper, Casting spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 30 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (17 ft) | Topwater walker, Metal jig |
| Winter | 4 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (17 ft) | Compact metal jig, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Come spring, look for yellowtail snapper tight to the bank in 4 to 29 ft. Through summer count on 4 to 29 ft; the winter hold is 4 to 29 ft. If you only fish one area, make it NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized pavement: a hard bottom around 26 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A micro jig or a small paddletail 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 | 4 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized pavement (26 ft) | Small bucktail, Light vertical jig |
| Summer | 4 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized pavement (26 ft) | Micro jig, Small paddletail |
| Fall | 4 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized pavement (26 ft) | Small vertical jig, Baitfish streamer |
| Winter | 4 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 80 ft | dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized pavement (26 ft) | Small jig worked deep, Bucktail |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: mutton snapper in 4 to 29 ft. The depth story barely changes: 4 to 29 ft through summer, 5 to 29 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized pavement, a hard bottom in the 26 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a heavy bucktail or a vertical jig 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 | 4 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized pavement (26 ft) | Bucktail near bottom, Paddletail |
| Summer | 4 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized pavement (26 ft) | Heavy bucktail, Vertical jig |
| Fall | 4 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 75 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized pavement (26 ft) | Bucktail + strip, Slow vertical jig |
| Winter | 5 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 90 ft | dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized pavement (26 ft) | Slow jig, Bottom bucktail |
Spring puts great barracuda in skinny water — 1 to 29 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 29 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 29 ft. Winter great barracuda concentrate at NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized pavement, a prime-rated hard bottom around 26 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A fast swimbait or a spoon 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 | 1 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 45 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (17 ft) | Fast tube lure, Long minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (17 ft) | Fast swimbait, Spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 55 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (17 ft) | Mullet-profile plug, Tube lure |
| Winter | 2 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 65 ft | midday & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized pavement (26 ft) | Long minnow plug, Fast jig |
Start shallow in spring: gray snapper (mangrove snapper) sit in 3 to 22 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 29 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 29 ft. The spot to know is NOAA charted underwater rock, a rock pile in about 17 ft of water that rates prime for gray snapper (mangrove snapper) in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a small bucktail or a paddletail until the fish tell you otherwise.
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 underwater rock (17 ft) | Small paddletail, Jighead + shrimp imitation |
| Summer | 4 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (17 ft) | Small bucktail, Paddletail |
| Fall | 4 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (17 ft) | Small vertical jig, Jighead + paddletail |
| Winter | 5 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 45 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (17 ft) | Small jig worked slowly |
Count 8 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, NOAA NCCOS mapped seagrass, sits near 26 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 Flamingo Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official U.S. Virgin Islands fishing regulations →
Flamingo Bay is about 29 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 Flamingo 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 NCCOS mapped colonized pavement is the top-rated area: a hard bottom in about 26 ft of water that rates prime for yellowtail snapper in spring. Open the map above to see every rated 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 Flamingo 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.
Druif Bay 0 mi · Limestone Bay 1 mi · West Gregerie Channel 1 mi · Krum Bay 1 mi · Lindbergh Bay 1 mi · East Gregerie Channel 2 mi · Crown Bay 2 mi · Hawksbill Cove 2 mi · Cay Bay 2 mi · Brewers Bay 2 mi · Long Bay 3 mi · Magens Bay 4 mi
See how Flamingo 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.