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86-acre Great Cruz Bay fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (92.27% measured, 99.18% assessed), source-traceable coastal structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 48 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. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
On the chart, Great Cruz Bay draws 86 acres inside 1.7 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.3 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. About 58% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 0.6 mi long by 0.3 mi wide at the broadest reach. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Rendezvous Bay, 1 mi east of here.
Come spring, look for atlantic tarpon tight to the bank in 3 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 35 ft. Start at NOAA BlueTopo measured channel break. It's a channel edge holding about 35 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A heavy paddletail or a swimbait in pass current is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (21 ft) | 4-6 inch paddletail, Suspending baitfish plug |
| Summer | 4 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel break (35 ft) | Heavy paddletail, Swimbait in pass current |
| Fall | 3 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (21 ft) | Mullet-profile swimbait, Surface plug |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel break (35 ft) | Slow-rolled paddletail, Suspending plug |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: jack crevalle in 2 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 3 to 35 ft before dropping to 5 to 35 ft for winter. The spot to know is NOAA BlueTopo measured channel break, a channel edge in about 35 ft of water that rates prime for jack crevalle in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a pencil popper or a casting spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (21 ft) | Surface popper, Metal jig |
| Summer | 3 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel break (35 ft) | Pencil popper, Casting spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (21 ft) | Topwater walker, Metal jig |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel break (35 ft) | Compact metal jig, Slow-rolled paddletail |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellowtail snapper in 6 to 48 ft. The depth story barely changes: 7 to 48 ft through summer, 7 to 48 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: NOAA BlueTopo measured inlet-channel depth, a channel edge in the 46 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a micro jig or a small paddletail gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 48 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured inlet-channel depth (46 ft) | Small bucktail, Light vertical jig |
| Summer | 7 to 48 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (12 ft) | Micro jig, Small paddletail |
| Fall | 7 to 48 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured inlet-channel depth (46 ft) | Small vertical jig, Baitfish streamer |
| Winter | 7 to 48 ft | dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (12 ft) | Small jig worked deep, Bucktail |
Spring mutton snapper on Great Cruz Bay hold shallow, usually 6 to 48 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 6 to 48 ft in summer, 8 to 48 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is NOAA BlueTopo measured inlet-channel depth — channel edge, 46 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a heavy bucktail or a vertical jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 48 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured inlet-channel depth (46 ft) | Bucktail near bottom, Paddletail |
| Summer | 6 to 48 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured inlet-channel depth (46 ft) | Heavy bucktail, Vertical jig |
| Fall | 6 to 48 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured inlet-channel depth (46 ft) | Bucktail + strip, Slow vertical jig |
| Winter | 8 to 48 ft | dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured inlet-channel depth (46 ft) | Slow jig, Bottom bucktail |
Spring great barracuda on Great Cruz Bay hold shallow, usually 2 to 45 ft. They move out to 3 to 48 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 48 ft. Put NOAA BlueTopo measured inlet-channel depth first on the milk run — a channel edge near 46 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a fast swimbait or a spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 45 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel break (35 ft) | Fast tube lure, Long minnow plug |
| Summer | 3 to 48 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured inlet-channel depth (46 ft) | Fast swimbait, Spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 48 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA BlueTopo measured inlet-channel depth (46 ft) | Mullet-profile plug, Tube lure |
| Winter | 4 to 48 ft | midday & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured inlet-channel depth (46 ft) | Long minnow plug, Fast jig |
Early season gray snapper (mangrove snapper) use the shallows, holding in 3 to 22 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 45 ft. Put NOAA charted pier first on the milk run — a dock line near 6 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a small bucktail or a paddletail and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (3 ft) | Small paddletail, Jighead + shrimp imitation |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (6 ft) | Small bucktail, Paddletail |
| Fall | 5 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (6 ft) | Small vertical jig, Jighead + paddletail |
| Winter | 8 to 45 ft | midday | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel break (35 ft) | Small jig worked slowly |
10 pieces of structure are mapped here — NOAA BlueTopo measured inlet-channel depth, around 46 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Great Cruz Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official U.S. Virgin Islands fishing regulations →
Great Cruz Bay is about 48 ft (15 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 Great Cruz Bay.
NOAA BlueTopo measured inlet-channel depth is the top-rated area: a channel edge in about 46 ft of water that rates prime for great barracuda in summer. 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 Great Cruz 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.
Rendezvous Bay 1 mi · Monte Bay 1 mi · Caneel Bay 2 mi · Fish Bay 2 mi · Hawksnest Bay 2 mi · Denis Bay 2 mi · Genti Bay 3 mi · Peter Bay 3 mi · Reef Bay 3 mi · Cinnamon Bay 3 mi · Redhook Bay 3 mi · Muller Bay 4 mi
See how Great Cruz 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; 92% measured, 7% 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.