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.
190-acre Ryus Bay fishing map at Duke Island with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (69.7% measured, 98.99% assessed), ADF&G fish evidence, measured fishing spots and verified Ketchikan boat access. The water tops out around 92 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
On the chart, Ryus Bay draws 190 acres inside 4.1 miles of shoreline, broken up by 7 islands. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 2.1) — enough points and pockets to pattern. 32% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 0.9 mi, about 0.6 mi across. The nearest mapped water is Bald Headed Cove, 25 mi to the north.
In spring, chinook salmon run shallow here, mostly 5 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 28 to 92 ft before dropping to 30 to 90 ft for winter. Spring chinook salmon concentrate at Surveyed channel edge, a good-rated drop-off around 29 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (29 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 28 to 92 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (48 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (48 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 30 to 90 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (48 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: coho salmon in 3 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 30 to 70 ft before dropping to 20 to 60 ft for winter. The spot to know is Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in about 48 ft of water that rates good for coho salmon in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (48 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (29 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (48 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Come spring, look for pink salmon tight to the bank in 8 to 60 ft. Expect a summer slide to 3 to 70 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 90 ft. Start at NOAA charted underwater rock. It's a rock pile holding about 20 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A pink or orange casting spoon or a small hoochie is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (48 ft) | Small chrome spoon, Compact herring-pattern jig |
| Summer | 3 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (20 ft) | Pink or orange casting spoon, Small hoochie |
| Fall | 2 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (20 ft) | Small bright spoon, Pink jig |
| Winter | 20 to 90 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (48 ft) | Small vertical jig |
Spring puts chum salmon in skinny water — 10 to 70 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 4 to 70 ft, and winter fish hold in 23 to 92 ft. Summer chum salmon concentrate at NOAA charted underwater rock, a prime-rated rock pile around 20 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A chartreuse or pink hoochie or a bright spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (48 ft) | Chrome spoon, Compact baitfish jig |
| Summer | 4 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (20 ft) | Chartreuse or pink hoochie, Bright spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (20 ft) | Bright spinner, Pink or chartreuse jig |
| Winter | 23 to 92 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (48 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
Spring pacific halibut on Ryus Bay hold shallow, usually 20 to 92 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 10 to 92 ft in summer, 23 to 92 ft once it turns cold. Put NOAA charted rock bottom first on the milk run — a hard bottom near 16 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run midday and early morning. The summer box starts with a heavy vertical jig or a large swimbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 20 to 92 ft | dawn | NOAA charted rock bottom (32 ft) | Heavy glow jig, Large grub on lead head |
| Summer | 10 to 92 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted rock bottom (16 ft) | Heavy vertical jig, Large swimbait |
| Fall | 15 to 92 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (16 ft) | Heavy glow jig, Large grub |
| Winter | 23 to 92 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (48 ft) | Heavy slow-pitch jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lingcod in 16 to 92 ft. The depth story barely changes: 10 to 92 ft through summer, 23 to 92 ft in winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted underwater rock, a rock pile in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for lingcod in spring. Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a heavy swimbait or a metal jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 16 to 92 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (20 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Summer | 10 to 92 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (20 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Fall | 14 to 92 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (20 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large swimbait |
| Winter | 23 to 92 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (32 ft) | Heavy slow-pitch jig |
Ryus Bay also holds black rockfish (7 to 92 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 26 structure features on Ryus Bay; the deepest is Surveyed channel edge at about 48 ft.
Access data: City of Ketchikan Mountain Point Boat Launch Ramp and Port & Harbors pages. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Alaska waters are set by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (Southeast sport fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Ryus Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alaska fishing regulations →
Ryus Bay is about 92 ft (28 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 chinook salmon, coho salmon, pink salmon, chum salmon, pacific halibut, lingcod, black rockfish on Ryus Bay.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for lingcod in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For 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 Ryus Bay is regulated by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (Southeast sport fishing). Check the official Alaska regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Bald Headed Cove 25 mi · Clam Cove 27 mi · Ketchikan Harbor Anchorage Area 28 mi · Ward Cove 33 mi · Union Lake 51 mi, BC · Sarah Lake 60 mi, BC · Bill Lake 67 mi, BC · Marion Lake 68 mi, BC · Toon Lake 70 mi, BC · Kergin Lake 70 mi, BC · Prudhomme Lake 72 mi, BC · Leverson Lake 73 mi, BC
See how Ryus Bay stacks up: best chinook salmon lakes in Alaska · best coho salmon lakes in Alaska · best pink salmon lakes in Alaska · best chum salmon lakes in Alaska
Browse all Alaska fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 70% measured, 29% 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.