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16,314-acre Redfish Bay fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (89.57% measured, 96.51% assessed), source-traceable coastal structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 31 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. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
On the chart, Redfish Bay draws 16,337 acres inside 119.8 miles of shoreline, with 90 islands in the mix. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 6.7) — 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 11.3 mi with a 5.6-mi widest point. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Aransas Bay, 10 mi northeast of here.
In spring, red drum (redfish) run shallow here, mostly 1 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 2 to 12 ft, and winter fish settle into 3 to 15 ft. NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder is the standout, a gravel shoal at roughly 15 ft, rated prime for fall red drum (redfish). Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (6 ft) | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | ARANSAS_PASS channel edge (9 ft) | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder (15 ft) | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | ARANSAS_PASS channel edge (9 ft) | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Come spring, look for spotted seatrout tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 20 ft. Start at ARANSAS_PASS channel edge. It's a channel edge holding about 16 ft of water and rates prime come winter. Prime time lands in early morning. A popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (5 ft) | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn | ARANSAS_PASS channel edge (9 ft) | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder (15 ft) | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dusk | ARANSAS_PASS channel edge (16 ft) | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: southern flounder in 2 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 18 ft, wintering in 9 to 31 ft. Top water on the chart: ARANSAS_PASS channel edge, a channel edge in the 9 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a jighead + gulp swimming mullet or a bucktail tipped with shrimp gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn | ARANSAS_PASS channel edge (9 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (white/chartreuse), Bucktail + Gulp shrimp |
| Summer | 3 to 18 ft | dawn | ARANSAS_PASS channel edge (16 ft) | Jighead + Gulp swimming mullet, Bucktail tipped with shrimp |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | midday | ARANSAS_PASS channel edge (16 ft) | 3/8 oz bucktail + Gulp (passes), Big paddletail on the jetty edge |
| Winter | 9 to 31 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (13 ft) | Slow jig + scented grub in the holes |
Start shallow in spring: black drum sit in 4 to 25 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 3 to 18 ft covers summer, 7 to 31 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: ARANSAS_PASS channel edge, a channel edge in the 16 ft range, prime in winter. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a shrimp imitation dragged slowly or a small crab jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 25 ft | midday & dusk | ARANSAS_PASS channel edge (16 ft) | Crab-tipped bottom jig, Shrimp on a jighead |
| Summer | 3 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | ARANSAS_PASS channel edge (16 ft) | Shrimp imitation dragged slowly, Small crab jig |
| Fall | 4 to 22 ft | dawn | ARANSAS_PASS channel edge (16 ft) | Crab-tipped jig, Scented shrimp jig |
| Winter | 7 to 31 ft | midday | ARANSAS_PASS channel edge (16 ft) | Heavy bottom jig + crab |
Spring puts sheepshead in skinny water — 5 to 25 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 3 to 15 ft, and winter fish hold in 10 to 30 ft. Spring sheepshead concentrate at NOAA charted breakwater, a prime-rated jetty / riprap around 5 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A small jig + crab piece covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted breakwater (5 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + fiddler, Sheepshead jig + shrimp piece |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn | NOAA charted pier (15 ft) | Small jig + crab piece |
| Fall | 5 to 20 ft | midday | NOAA charted pier (15 ft) | Jighead + shrimp, Small crab jig |
| Winter | 10 to 30 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (9 ft) | Heavier jig + crab (deep pilings) |
Redfish Bay carries 176 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at ARANSAS_PASS channel edge, about 19 ft down.
Access data: Texas Parks & Wildlife — Public Boat Ramps (PWAID 2254). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Texas waters are set by the Texas Parks & Wildlife (saltwater) — and special regulations can apply to Redfish Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Texas fishing regulations →
Redfish Bay is about 31 ft (9 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 Redfish Bay.
ARANSAS_PASS channel edge is the top-rated area: a channel edge in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for black drum in winter. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Redfish Bay is regulated by the Texas Parks & Wildlife (saltwater). Check the official Texas regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Aransas Bay 10 mi · Copano Bay 16 mi · Espiritu Santo Bay 49 mi · Lake Corpus Christi 52 mi · Lake Findley 58 mi · Coleto Creek Reservoir 59 mi · Lavaca Bay 61 mi · Matagorda Bay 68 mi · Lake Texana 82 mi · Choke Canyon Reservoir 87 mi · East Matagorda Bay 97 mi · Victor Braunig Lake 121 mi
See how Redfish Bay stacks up: best red drum (redfish) lakes in Texas · best spotted seatrout lakes in Texas · best southern flounder lakes in Texas
Browse all Texas fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 90% measured, 7% 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.