Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeSalt water depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
3,639-acre Port San Juan fishing map with contributor-qualified CHS NONNA survey contours (91.31% measured, 97.77% assessed), four measured structure spots, three exact-port salmon profiles, two forage calendars, a verified fee launch and current DFO Area 20 restrictions. The water tops out around 86 ft. The depth chart comes from CHS bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Drawn out, this is 3,630 acres of water rimmed by 17.1 miles of bank — 11 islands included. Index 2 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. About 19% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 4.7 mi end to end and 2 mi across at its widest. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Fairy Lake, 5 mi northeast of here.
In spring, pacific chinook salmon run shallow here, mostly 22 to 86 ft. Summer keeps them at 11 to 86 ft, and they winter in 24 to 86 ft. Port San Juan monitored marine depth edge is the standout, a current seam at roughly 50 ft, rated prime for summer pacific chinook salmon. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a herring or sand-lance spoon or a baitfish hoochie behind a flasher most summer days.
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 | 22 to 86 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 120 ft | dawn | Port San Juan monitored marine depth edge (50 ft) | Herring-pattern spoon, Three-to-four-inch baitfish swimbait |
| Summer | 11 to 86 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 150 ft | dawn & dusk | Port San Juan monitored marine depth edge (50 ft) | Herring or sand-lance spoon, Baitfish hoochie behind a flasher |
| Fall | 9 to 86 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 100 ft | dawn & dusk | Port San Juan monitored marine depth edge (50 ft) | Compact spoon, Baitfish spinner where legal |
| Winter | 24 to 86 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 180 ft | midday | Port San Juan monitored marine depth edge (50 ft) | Slow-trolled spoon, Deep baitfish plug |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: pacific coho salmon in 10 to 70 ft. As the season builds they drop to 9 to 86 ft, wintering in 26 to 86 ft. Top water on the chart: Port San Juan monitored marine depth edge, a current seam in the 50 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small hoochie behind a flasher or a slim spoon 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 | 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Port San Juan monitored marine depth edge (50 ft) | Small silver spoon, Slim baitfish fly |
| Summer | 9 to 86 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 100 ft | dawn & dusk | Port San Juan monitored marine depth edge (50 ft) | Small hoochie behind a flasher, Slim spoon |
| Fall | 5 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Port San Juan monitored marine depth edge (50 ft) | Small spinner where legal, Compact spoon |
| Winter | 26 to 86 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 100 ft | midday | Port San Juan monitored marine depth edge (50 ft) | Slow small spoon, Compact trolling fly |
Start shallow in spring: chum salmon sit in 10 to 70 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 4 to 70 ft covers summer, 22 to 86 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Port San Juan monitored marine depth edge, a current seam in about 50 ft of water that rates prime for chum salmon in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a chartreuse or pink hoochie or a bright spoon 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 | 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Thrasher Cove sand-anchorage edge (10 ft) | Chrome spoon, Compact baitfish jig |
| Summer | 4 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Port San Juan monitored marine depth edge (50 ft) | Chartreuse or pink hoochie, Bright spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Port San Juan monitored marine depth edge (50 ft) | Bright spinner, Pink or chartreuse jig |
| Winter | 22 to 86 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 100 ft | midday | Port San Juan monitored marine depth edge (50 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
Spring puts lingcod in skinny water — 15 to 86 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 10 to 86 ft, and winter fish hold in 22 to 86 ft. Woods Nose rock-and-shoal edge is the standout, a point at roughly 13 ft, rated prime for summer lingcod. Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. A heavy swimbait or a metal jig 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 | 15 to 86 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 140 ft | dawn | Woods Nose rock-and-shoal edge (13 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Summer | 10 to 86 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 180 ft | midday & dawn | Woods Nose rock-and-shoal edge (13 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Fall | 13 to 86 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 200 ft | midday | Port San Juan monitored marine depth edge (50 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large swimbait |
| Winter | 22 to 86 ft chart-limited; documented 60 to 240 ft | midday | Port San Juan monitored marine depth edge (50 ft) | Heavy slow-pitch jig |
Port San Juan carries 9 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Surveyed channel edge, about 69 ft down.
Access data: Pacific Gateway Marina - Rates. 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 Pacific Region recreational-fishing rules — and special regulations can apply to Port San Juan specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Port San Juan is about 86 ft (26 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 chinook salmon, pacific coho salmon, chum salmon, lingcod on Port San Juan. 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.
Port San Juan monitored marine depth edge is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 50 ft of water that rates prime for pacific chinook salmon in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For pacific chinook 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 Port San Juan is regulated by the DFO Pacific Region 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.
Fairy Lake 5 mi · Lizard Lake 11 mi · Pixie Lake 12 mi · Maid Lake 15 mi · Doe Lake 16 mi · Cheewhat Lake 17 mi · Dimple Lake 17 mi · Squalicum Lake 21 mi · Hobiton Lake 21 mi · Hitchie Lake 22 mi · Tsuquadra Lake 22 mi · Tsusiat Lake 23 mi
See how Port San Juan stacks up: best chum salmon lakes in British Columbia · best pacific chinook 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); 91% 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.