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17-acre Hams 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 55 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The outline encloses 17 acres, worked by 0.7 miles of shoreline. At index 1.2 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. Roughly 56% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 0.3 mi end to end. Its nearest charted neighbour, Butler Bay, is 1 mi to the southwest.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic tarpon in 3 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 35 ft before dropping to 5 to 35 ft for winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted rock bottom, a hard bottom in about 6 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | 4-6 inch paddletail, Suspending baitfish plug |
| Summer | 4 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Heavy paddletail, Swimbait in pass current |
| Fall | 3 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Mullet-profile swimbait, Surface plug |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Slow-rolled paddletail, Suspending plug |
Spring jack crevalle on Hams Bay hold shallow, usually 2 to 25 ft. They move out to 3 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 35 ft. Put NOAA charted rock bottom first on the milk run — a hard bottom near 6 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a pencil popper or a casting spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Surface popper, Metal jig |
| Summer | 3 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Pencil popper, Casting spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Topwater walker, Metal jig |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Compact metal jig, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Come spring, look for yellowtail snapper tight to the bank in 7 to 55 ft. Through summer count on 8 to 55 ft; the winter hold is 8 to 55 ft. If you only fish one area, make it NOAA charted rock bottom: a hard bottom around 6 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 | 7 to 55 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Small bucktail, Light vertical jig |
| Summer | 8 to 55 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Micro jig, Small paddletail |
| Fall | 8 to 55 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Small vertical jig, Baitfish streamer |
| Winter | 8 to 55 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 80 ft | dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Small jig worked deep, Bucktail |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: mutton snapper in 7 to 55 ft. The depth story barely changes: 7 to 55 ft through summer, 9 to 55 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: NOAA charted rock bottom, a hard bottom in the 6 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 | 7 to 55 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Bucktail near bottom, Paddletail |
| Summer | 7 to 55 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Heavy bucktail, Vertical jig |
| Fall | 7 to 55 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 75 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Bucktail + strip, Slow vertical jig |
| Winter | 9 to 55 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 90 ft | dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Slow jig, Bottom bucktail |
Spring puts great barracuda in skinny water — 2 to 45 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 55 ft, wintering in 4 to 55 ft. Winter great barracuda concentrate at NOAA charted rock bottom, a prime-rated hard bottom around 6 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 | 2 to 45 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Fast tube lure, Long minnow plug |
| Summer | 3 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Fast swimbait, Spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 55 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Mullet-profile plug, Tube lure |
| Winter | 4 to 55 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 65 ft | midday & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 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 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 45 ft. The spot to know is NOAA charted rock bottom, a hard bottom in about 6 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Small paddletail, Jighead + shrimp imitation |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Small bucktail, Paddletail |
| Fall | 5 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Small vertical jig, Jighead + paddletail |
| Winter | 8 to 45 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Small jig worked slowly |
Structure-wise the chart holds 8 features, led in depth by NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized pavement at roughly 54 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 Hams Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official U.S. Virgin Islands fishing regulations →
Hams Bay is about 55 ft (17 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 Hams 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 charted rock bottom is the top-rated area: a hard bottom in about 6 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 Hams 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.
Butler Bay 1 mi · Cane Bay 5 mi · Limetree Bay 10 mi · Canegarden Bay 11 mi · Manchenil Bay 12 mi · Beauregard Bay 13 mi · Capella Bay 35 mi · Bahía Salina del Sur 37 mi, PR · Bolongo Bay 38 mi · Jersey Bay 38 mi · Bahía Salinas 38 mi, PR · Flamingo Bay 38 mi
See how Hams 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.