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1,697-acre Jarrett Bay fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo contours (98.19% measured and assessed), exact NOAA ESI fish occurrence, 2013 NC DMF seagrass, measured pier and hard-bottom spots, two connected ramps, three forage calendars, Strategic Habitat Area context and current North Carolina rules. The water tops out around 12 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. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
On the chart, Jarrett Bay draws 1,698 acres inside 18 miles of shoreline, with 4 islands in the mix. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 3.1) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. Tip to tip the water measures near 3.8 mi with a 2.1-mi widest point. For a second option, Back Sound lies 9 mi southwest.
Spring puts red drum (redfish) in skinny water — 1 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 2 to 12 ft, wintering in 2 to 12 ft. Spring red drum (redfish) concentrate at 2013 NC DMF mapped patchy SAV edge, a prime-rated seagrass edge around 2 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | 2013 NC DMF mapped patchy SAV edge (2 ft) | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted hard seabed (5 ft) | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (7 ft) | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 2 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Deepest measured basin (11 ft) | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
When the water first warms, spotted seatrout slide up into 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 12 ft, and by winter most fish are in 3 to 12 ft. If you only fish one area, make it 2013 NC DMF mapped patchy SAV edge: a seagrass edge around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | 2013 NC DMF mapped patchy SAV edge (2 ft) | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | NOAA charted pier (3 ft) | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | 2013 NC DMF mapped patchy SAV edge (2 ft) | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dusk | Deepest measured basin (11 ft) | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
Start shallow in spring: southern flounder sit in 2 to 12 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 12 ft covers summer, 4 to 12 ft covers winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted pier, a dock line in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for southern flounder in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a jighead + gulp swimming mullet or a bucktail tipped with shrimp until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn | Surveyed channel edge (7 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (white/chartreuse), Bucktail + Gulp shrimp |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn | NOAA charted pier (2 ft) | Jighead + Gulp swimming mullet, Bucktail tipped with shrimp |
| Fall | 2 to 12 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (7 ft) | 3/8 oz bucktail + Gulp (passes), Big paddletail on the jetty edge |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Deepest measured basin (11 ft) | Slow jig + scented grub in the holes |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: black drum in 2 to 12 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 12 ft through summer, 3 to 12 ft in winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted pier, a dock line in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for black drum in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a shrimp imitation dragged slowly or a small crab jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | midday & dusk | NOAA charted pier (2 ft) | Crab-tipped bottom jig, Shrimp on a jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (2 ft) | Shrimp imitation dragged slowly, Small crab jig |
| Fall | 2 to 12 ft | dawn | Surveyed channel edge (7 ft) | Crab-tipped jig, Scented shrimp jig |
| Winter | 3 to 12 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (7 ft) | Heavy bottom jig + crab |
In spring, sheepshead run shallow here, mostly 2 to 12 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 12 ft, and they winter in 4 to 12 ft. NOAA charted pier is the standout, a dock line at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for summer sheepshead. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a small jig + crab piece most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted pier (2 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + fiddler, Sheepshead jig + shrimp piece |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn | NOAA charted pier (2 ft) | Small jig + crab piece |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | midday | NOAA charted pier (3 ft) | Jighead + shrimp, Small crab jig |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | NOAA charted hard seabed (5 ft) | Heavier jig + crab (deep pilings) |
Jarrett Bay carries 12 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest measured basin, about 11 ft down.
Access data: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission — Boating Access Areas (OBJECTID 91). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for North Carolina waters are set by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries — and special regulations can apply to Jarrett Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Carolina fishing regulations →
Jarrett Bay is about 12 ft (4 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 red drum (redfish), spotted seatrout, southern flounder, black drum, sheepshead on Jarrett Bay.
NOAA charted pier is the top-rated area: a dock line in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for sheepshead in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
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.
Fishing on Jarrett Bay is regulated by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. Check the official North Carolina regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Back Sound 9 mi · Lookout Bight 11 mi · Money Island Bay 14 mi · Bogue Sound 24 mi · Pamlico Sound 47 mi · Salliers Bay 49 mi · Hatteras Inlet 50 mi · Lake Mattamuskeet 53 mi · Sandy Bay 55 mi · Alligator Bay 56 mi · Stump Sound 61 mi · Topsail Sound 69 mi
See how Jarrett Bay stacks up: best red drum (redfish) lakes in North Carolina · best spotted seatrout lakes in North Carolina · best southern flounder lakes in North Carolina · best sheepshead lakes in North Carolina
Browse all North Carolina fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 98% 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.