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13-acre Red 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 44 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. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The drawn water covers 14 acres wrapped in 0.6 miles of bank. A shoreline index of 1.1 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 83% of this chart. Saint John Bay sits 0 mi northwest — the closest neighbouring chart.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic tarpon in 3 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 35 ft, wintering in 5 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock, a hard bottom in the 4 ft range, good in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. 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 NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | 4-6 inch paddletail, Suspending baitfish plug |
| Summer | 4 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Heavy paddletail, Swimbait in pass current |
| Fall | 3 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Mullet-profile swimbait, Surface plug |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Slow-rolled paddletail, Suspending plug |
Spring jack crevalle on Red Bay hold shallow, usually 2 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 35 ft. The chart's best answer is NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock — hard bottom, 4 ft, good for spring. Prime time lands in 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 NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Surface popper, Metal jig |
| Summer | 3 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Pencil popper, Casting spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Topwater walker, Metal jig |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Compact metal jig, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Come spring, look for yellowtail snapper tight to the bank in 6 to 44 ft. Through summer count on 6 to 44 ft; the winter hold is 7 to 44 ft. Start at NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock. It's a hard bottom holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in 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 | 6 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Small bucktail, Light vertical jig |
| Summer | 6 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Micro jig, Small paddletail |
| Fall | 6 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Small vertical jig, Baitfish streamer |
| Winter | 7 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 80 ft | dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Small jig worked deep, Bucktail |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: mutton snapper in 5 to 44 ft. The depth story barely changes: 6 to 44 ft through summer, 7 to 44 ft in winter. The spot to know is NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock, a hard bottom in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for mutton snapper in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. 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 | 5 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Bucktail near bottom, Paddletail |
| Summer | 6 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Heavy bucktail, Vertical jig |
| Fall | 6 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 75 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Bucktail + strip, Slow vertical jig |
| Winter | 7 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 90 ft | dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Slow jig, Bottom bucktail |
Spring puts great barracuda in skinny water — 2 to 44 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 44 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 44 ft. NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock is the standout, a hard bottom at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for winter great barracuda. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. 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 44 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 45 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Fast tube lure, Long minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Fast swimbait, Spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 55 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Mullet-profile plug, Tube lure |
| Winter | 3 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 65 ft | midday & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Long minnow plug, Fast jig |
Start shallow in spring: gray snapper (mangrove snapper) sit in 3 to 22 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 44 ft. Top water on the chart: NOAA NCCOS mapped seagrass, a seagrass edge in the 18 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small bucktail or a paddletail 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 | 3 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped seagrass (18 ft) | Small paddletail, Jighead + shrimp imitation |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped seagrass (18 ft) | Small bucktail, Paddletail |
| Fall | 5 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Small vertical jig, Jighead + paddletail |
| Winter | 8 to 44 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 45 ft | midday | NOAA NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock (4 ft) | Small jig worked slowly |
Structure-wise the chart holds 5 features, led in depth by NOAA NCCOS mapped seagrass at roughly 40 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 Red Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official U.S. Virgin Islands fishing regulations →
Red Bay is about 44 ft (13 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 Red 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 NCCOS mapped colonized bedrock is the top-rated area: a hard bottom in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for mutton snapper in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
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 Red 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.
Saint John Bay 0 mi · Redhook Bay 1 mi · Smith Bay 1 mi · Muller Bay 1 mi · Pillsbury Sound 1 mi · Water Bay 1 mi · Eva Bay 2 mi · Jersey Bay 2 mi · Coki Bay 2 mi · Spring Bay 2 mi · Tutu Bay 3 mi · Frank Bay 3 mi
See how Red 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.