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8 km of the San Bernard River navigation corridor, with channel depths from USACE hydrographic survey. The river tops out around 19 ft. The depth chart comes from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Drawn out, this is 1,664 acres of water rimmed by 12.6 miles of bank. With a shoreline index of 2.2, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Roughly 91% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Call it 5 mi long by 1.1 mi wide at the broadest reach. For a second option, East Matagorda Bay lies 24 mi southwest.
Come spring, look for striped bass tight to the bank in 5 to 19 ft. Through summer count on 6 to 19 ft; the winter hold is 6 to 19 ft. Start at Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3). It's a creek channel holding about 11 ft of water and rates prime come winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig 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 | 5 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) | 3-5 inch baitfish swimbait, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 5 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Baitfish swimbait, Metal jig |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
Spring white bass on San Bernard River hold shallow, usually 2 to 12 ft. They move out to 6 to 19 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 19 ft. Put Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) first on the milk run — a creek channel near 11 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish).
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 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 5 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: largemouth bass in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 19 ft, wintering in 6 to 19 ft. Top water on the chart: Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3), a creek channel in the 11 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait 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 | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 19 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 19 ft. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3), a creek channel in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) 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 | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | open water | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: channel catfish in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 19 ft, wintering in 6 to 19 ft. Top water on the chart: Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3), a creek channel in the 11 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for after dark and the evening.
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 12 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) | |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) | |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) | |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) |
Early season blue catfish use the shallows, holding in 4 to 19 ft. Even in summer they hold at 5 to 19 ft; winter keeps them in 6 to 19 ft. The chart's best answer is Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) — creek channel, 11 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
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 | 4 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) | |
| Summer | 5 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) | |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) | |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) (11 ft) |
San Bernard River also holds flathead catfish (5 to 19 ft in summer), freshwater drum (5 to 19 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer), longnose gar (1 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
San Bernard River carries 3 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Outside-bend hole (mile 4.4), about 15 ft down.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Texas waters are set by the Texas Parks & Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to San Bernard River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Texas fishing regulations →
San Bernard River is about 19 ft (6 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target striped bass, white bass, largemouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, blue catfish, flathead catfish, freshwater drum, common carp, longnose gar on San Bernard River. 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.
Outside-bend hole (mile 0.3) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass in winter. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For striped bass, 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 San Bernard River is regulated by the Texas Parks & Wildlife. Check the official Texas regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
East Matagorda Bay 24 mi · Matagorda Bay 54 mi · Upper Galveston Bay 60 mi · San Jacinto River 63 mi · Lake Texana 64 mi · Lavaca Bay 70 mi · Sheldon Lake 70 mi · Espiritu Santo Bay 73 mi · Lake Houston 79 mi · Fayette County Reservoir 105 mi · Coleto Creek Reservoir 105 mi · Lake Conroe 109 mi
See how San Bernard River stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Texas · best white bass lakes in Texas · best crappie lakes in Texas · best channel catfish lakes in Texas
Browse all Texas fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 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.