Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeSalt water depth chart
Today's read
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
880-acre Mullet Key Bayou fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo shallow-water contours (99.91% measured, 99.99% assessed), exact 2,900-record FWC fish and forage, measured piles, oyster and grass spots, two Fort De Soto launches, three forage calendars and current Florida rules. The water tops out around 20 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.
Drawn out, this is 881 acres of water rimmed by 10.2 miles of bank, with 5 islands in the mix. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.4) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. End to end it runs roughly 2.2 mi, about 1.5 mi across. The nearest mapped water is Bunces Pass, 2 mi to the northeast.
Start shallow in spring: snook sit in 2 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: NOAA charted pile, a dock line in the 5 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a flair hawk jig (passes, night) or a big swimbait in the current until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pile (5 ft) | Paddletail on 1/4 oz head, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pile (5 ft) | Flair hawk jig (passes, night), Big swimbait in the current |
| Fall | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pile (5 ft) | Big paddletail (mullet run), Topwater walker |
| Winter | 4 to 15 ft | midday | NOAA charted pile (5 ft) | Slow-rolled paddletail, Scented jerkbait crawled in canals |
Start shallow in spring: red drum (redfish) sit in 1 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 2 to 12 ft, and winter fish settle into 3 to 15 ft. The spot to know is 2024 oyster bars edge, an oyster reef in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for red drum (redfish) in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | 2024 oyster bars edge (2 ft) | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | 2024 oyster bars edge (2 ft) | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & midday | 2024 oyster bars edge (6 ft) | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (8 ft) | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Early season spotted seatrout use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 20 ft. Put 2024 patchy seagrass edge first on the milk run — a seagrass edge near 5 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | 2024 patchy seagrass edge (5 ft) | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn | 2024 patchy seagrass edge (5 ft) | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | 2024 patchy seagrass edge (5 ft) | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (8 ft) | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: sheepshead in 4 to 20 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 15 ft through summer, 6 to 20 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: NOAA charted pile, a dock line in the 5 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a small jig + crab piece gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted pile (5 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + fiddler, Sheepshead jig + shrimp piece |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn | NOAA charted pile (5 ft) | Small jig + crab piece |
| Fall | 5 to 20 ft | midday | NOAA charted pile (5 ft) | Jighead + shrimp, Small crab jig |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | 2024 oyster bars edge (6 ft) | Heavier jig + crab (deep pilings) |
Early season gray snapper (mangrove snapper) use the shallows, holding in 3 to 20 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 20 ft; winter keeps them in 4 to 20 ft. Put NOAA charted pile first on the milk run — a dock line near 5 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 20 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pile (5 ft) | Small paddletail, Jighead + shrimp imitation |
| Summer | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pile (5 ft) | Small bucktail, Paddletail |
| Fall | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pile (5 ft) | Small vertical jig, Jighead + paddletail |
| Winter | 4 to 20 ft | midday | NOAA charted pile (5 ft) | Small jig worked slowly |
In spring, gulf flounder run shallow here, mostly 2 to 14 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 20 ft. NOAA charted pile is the standout, a dock line at roughly 5 ft, rated prime for summer gulf flounder. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a paddletail dragged on bottom or a bucktail + swimming mullet most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 14 ft | dawn | NOAA charted pile (5 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail, Bucktail + scented shrimp |
| Summer | 4 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pile (5 ft) | Paddletail dragged on bottom, Bucktail + swimming mullet |
| Fall | 4 to 20 ft | midday & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (8 ft) | 3/8 oz bucktail + scented grub, Paddletail on a heavier jighead |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (8 ft) | Slow jig + scented grub |
Mullet Key Bayou also holds black drum (3 to 18 ft in summer), lane snapper (2 to 20 ft in summer), permit (2 to 20 ft in summer), great barracuda (1 to 20 ft in summer), gag grouper (3 to 20 ft in summer), jack crevalle (2 to 20 ft in summer), black sea bass (5 to 20 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
38 pieces of structure are mapped here — NOAA charted pile, around 13 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Florida FWC — Boat Ramp Inventory (OBJECTID 1776; RampID PI00019AA). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Florida waters are set by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (saltwater) — and special regulations can apply to Mullet Key Bayou specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Florida fishing regulations →
Mullet Key Bayou is about 20 ft (6 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 snook, red drum (redfish), spotted seatrout, sheepshead, gray snapper (mangrove snapper), gulf flounder, black drum, lane snapper, permit, great barracuda, gag grouper, jack crevalle, black sea bass on Mullet Key Bayou.
NOAA charted pile is the top-rated area: a dock line in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for gray snapper (mangrove snapper) in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For snook, 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 Mullet Key Bayou is regulated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (saltwater). Check the official Florida regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Bunces Pass 2 mi · Pass A Grille Channel 4 mi · Lower Tampa Bay 5 mi · Passage Key Inlet 7 mi · Boca Ciega Bay 8 mi · Terra Ceia Bay 9 mi · Manatee River Estuary 12 mi · Longboat Pass 13 mi · North Sarasota Bay 14 mi · Manatee River 15 mi · Middle Tampa Bay 15 mi · South Clearwater Harbor 21 mi
See how Mullet Key Bayou stacks up: best red drum (redfish) lakes in Florida · best spotted seatrout lakes in Florida · best black sea bass lakes in Florida · best sheepshead lakes in Florida
Browse all Florida fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 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.