Salt water depth chart
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3,383-acre Masset Sound fishing map with CHS NONNA contours (94.19% measured, 100% assessed), four measured spots, historical DFO salmon evidence, herring habitat, public launch context and current Area 1, CSSP, Chinook and harbour guidance. The water tops out around 114 ft. The depth chart comes from CHS bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Traced from the shoreline, Masset Sound runs 3,369 acres with 26.9 miles of edge. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 3.3) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. About 34% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Tip to tip the water measures near 8.7 mi with a 2.1-mi widest point. The nearest mapped water is Marian Lake, 22 mi to the southwest.
Spring puts pacific coho salmon in skinny water — 10 to 70 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 100 ft, wintering in 30 to 100 ft. Summer pacific coho salmon concentrate at Entry Point measured current edge, a prime-rated point around 19 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A small hoochie behind a flasher or a slim spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Entry Point measured current edge (19 ft) | Small silver spoon, Slim baitfish fly |
| Summer | 10 to 100 ft | dawn & dusk | Entry Point measured current edge (19 ft) | Small hoochie behind a flasher, Slim spoon |
| Fall | 5 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Entry Point measured current edge (19 ft) | Small spinner where legal, Compact spoon |
| Winter | 30 to 100 ft | midday | Masset Sound surveyed deepest channel cell (114 ft) | Slow small spoon, Compact trolling fly |
When the water first warms, pink salmon slide up into 8 to 60 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 70 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 90 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Entry Point measured current edge: a point around 19 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a pink or orange casting spoon or a small hoochie rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Masset Sound measured eastern-shore current edge (11 ft) | Small chrome spoon, Compact herring-pattern jig |
| Summer | 3 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Entry Point measured current edge (19 ft) | Pink or orange casting spoon, Small hoochie |
| Fall | 2 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Masset Sound measured eastern-shore current edge (11 ft) | Small bright spoon, Pink jig |
| Winter | 20 to 90 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (81 ft) | Small vertical jig |
In spring, chum salmon run shallow here, mostly 10 to 70 ft. Summer keeps them at 4 to 70 ft, and they winter in 25 to 100 ft. Masset Sound measured eastern-shore current edge is the standout, a channel edge at roughly 11 ft, rated prime for spring chum salmon. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a chartreuse or pink hoochie or a bright spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Masset Sound measured eastern-shore current edge (11 ft) | Chrome spoon, Compact baitfish jig |
| Summer | 4 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Masset Sound measured eastern-shore current edge (11 ft) | Chartreuse or pink hoochie, Bright spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Entry Point measured current edge (19 ft) | Bright spinner, Pink or chartreuse jig |
| Winter | 25 to 100 ft | midday | Masset Sound surveyed deepest channel cell (114 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
Start shallow in spring: lingcod sit in 20 to 114 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 13 to 114 ft covers summer, 29 to 114 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Entry Point measured current edge, a point in the 19 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in midday and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a heavy swimbait or a metal jig 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 | 20 to 114 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 140 ft | dawn | Entry Point measured current edge (19 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Summer | 13 to 114 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 180 ft | midday & dawn | Entry Point measured current edge (19 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Fall | 17 to 114 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 200 ft | midday | Masset Sound measured eastern-shore current edge (11 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large swimbait |
| Winter | 29 to 114 ft chart-limited; documented 60 to 240 ft | midday | Masset Sound surveyed deepest channel cell (114 ft) | Heavy slow-pitch jig |
Early season pacific halibut use the shallows, holding in 25 to 114 ft. Even in summer they hold at 13 to 114 ft; winter keeps them in 29 to 114 ft. The chart's best answer is Masset Sound surveyed deepest channel cell — deep basin, 114 ft, prime for winter. Best bite is midday and early morning. Tie on a heavy vertical jig or a large swimbait and you're in the game.
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 | 25 to 114 ft chart-limited; documented 35 to 160 ft | dawn | Masset Sound surveyed deepest channel cell (114 ft) | Heavy glow jig, Large grub on lead head |
| Summer | 13 to 114 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 180 ft | midday & dawn | Masset Sound measured eastern-shore current edge (11 ft) | Heavy vertical jig, Large swimbait |
| Fall | 18 to 114 ft chart-limited; documented 35 to 220 ft | midday | Masset Sound measured eastern-shore current edge (11 ft) | Heavy glow jig, Large grub |
| Winter | 29 to 114 ft chart-limited; documented 70 to 280 ft | midday | Masset Sound surveyed deepest channel cell (114 ft) | Heavy slow-pitch jig |
13 pieces of structure are mapped here — Masset Sound surveyed deepest channel cell, around 114 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Province of British Columbia - Masset seaplane terminal and boat launch upgrade. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for British Columbia waters are set by the DFO Area 1 (Haida Gwaii) recreational-fishing rules — and special regulations can apply to Masset Sound specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Masset Sound is about 114 ft (35 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from CHS bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target pacific coho salmon, pink salmon, chum salmon, lingcod, pacific halibut on Masset Sound. The list combines the water's survey records with habitat-filtered species from broader official evidence; those additions are plausible occurrences, not exact-water abundance or guaranteed catches.
Masset Sound surveyed deepest channel cell is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 114 ft of water that rates prime for pacific halibut in winter. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For pacific coho salmon, 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 Masset Sound is regulated by the DFO Area 1 (Haida Gwaii) recreational-fishing rules. Check the official British Columbia regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Marian Lake 22 mi · Port Clements - Masset Inlet 22 mi · Mayer Lake 24 mi · Roy Lake 24 mi · Ian Lake 25 mi · Awun Lake 33 mi · Pam Lake 37 mi · Peter Lake 37 mi · Marie Lake 37 mi · Sheila Lake 38 mi · Mercer Lake 42 mi · Yakoun Lake 48 mi
See how Masset Sound stacks up: best pink salmon lakes in British Columbia · best chum salmon lakes in British Columbia · best pacific coho salmon lakes in British Columbia · best lingcod lakes in British Columbia
Browse all British Columbia fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: CHS NONNA 10 (CHS Chart Datum (CD); 94% measured, 6% 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.