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Rating depth structure for california halibut.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
10,875-acre San Diego Bay fishing map with NOAA, USACE and Port/Navy MLLW survey contours (74.65% measured, 95.07% assessed), security-zone-filtered fishing spots, exact 2022 fish and forage records, six public access sites and current Southern Region rules. The water tops out around 73 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. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
On the chart, San Diego Bay draws 10,889 acres inside 82 miles of shoreline — 29 islands included. An index of 5.6 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 60% of this chart. Call it 11 mi long by 4.7 mi wide at the broadest reach. For a second option, Lake Hemet lies 74 mi north.
In spring, california halibut run shallow here, mostly 5 to 30 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 40 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 60 ft. Surveyed channel edge is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 35 ft, rated good for summer california halibut. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a paddletail dragged on sand or a bucktail + strip most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (29 ft) | Swimbait on 1/2-1 oz head (drifted), Hair raiser jig |
| Summer | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Surveyed channel edge (35 ft) | Paddletail dragged on sand, Bucktail + strip |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (35 ft) | Heavier jig + swimbait (channels), Drifted bucktail |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (35 ft) | Slow-dragged swimbait in deep channels |
Early season barred sand bass use the shallows, holding in 8 to 60 ft. Summer is an 8 to 73 ft game here, winter a 12 to 73 ft one. The chart's best answer is NOAA charted breakwater — jetty / riprap, 23 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a swimbait on 1/2–1 oz head or a vertical metal jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 60 ft | dawn | NOAA charted breakwater (23 ft) | 3-5 inch paddletail, Lead-head grub |
| Summer | 8 to 73 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted breakwater (23 ft) | Swimbait on 1/2-1 oz head, Vertical metal jig |
| Fall | 9 to 73 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted breakwater (23 ft) | Heavy paddletail, Compact vertical jig |
| Winter | 12 to 73 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (33 ft) | Slow vertical jig, Bottom-crawled swimbait |
In spring, spotted sand bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 30 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 3 to 40 ft before dropping to 8 to 55 ft for winter. Spring spotted sand bass concentrate at NOAA charted pier, a prime-rated dock line around 11 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a weedless swimbait or a small jerkbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (11 ft) | 3 inch paddletail, Creature bait on a light jig |
| Summer | 3 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (11 ft) | Weedless swimbait, Small jerkbait |
| Fall | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (11 ft) | Paddletail, Suspending jerkbait |
| Winter | 8 to 55 ft | midday | NOAA charted pier (11 ft) | Slow-rolled paddletail, Drop-shot minnow |
Spring puts kelp bass in skinny water — 5 to 55 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 70 ft; cold water stacks them in 9 to 73 ft. NOAA charted breakwater is the standout, a jetty / riprap at roughly 23 ft, rated prime for summer kelp bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A surface iron or a weedless paddletail covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 55 ft | dawn | NOAA charted breakwater (23 ft) | Weedless swimbait, Baitfish jerkbait |
| Summer | 4 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted breakwater (23 ft) | Surface iron, Weedless paddletail |
| Fall | 5 to 73 ft | dawn | NOAA charted breakwater (23 ft) | Paddletail, Compact surface iron |
| Winter | 9 to 73 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | Slow swimbait, Vertical jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: california scorpionfish in 9 to 73 ft. The depth story barely changes: 6 to 73 ft through summer, 10 to 73 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Dangerous NOAA charted wreck, a wreck in the 10 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for midday and the evening. Summer baits: a vertical metal jig or a heavy paddletail gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 9 to 73 ft | dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | Small lead-head jig, Compact metal jig |
| Summer | 6 to 73 ft | midday & dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | Vertical metal jig, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 8 to 73 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | Heavy vertical jig, Bucktail + squid |
| Winter | 10 to 73 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | Slow metal jig, Bottom jig + strip bait |
The chart marks 149 structure features on San Diego Bay; the deepest is Surveyed channel edge at about 35 ft.
Access data: California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways — Shelter Island Boat Launching Ramp. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for California waters are set by the California DFW (Southern Region ocean fishing) — and special regulations can apply to San Diego Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official California fishing regulations →
San Diego Bay is about 73 ft (22 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 california halibut, barred sand bass, spotted sand bass, kelp bass, california scorpionfish on San Diego Bay.
NOAA charted pier is the top-rated area: a dock line in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for spotted sand bass in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For california halibut, the summer bite is best in early morning. 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 Diego Bay is regulated by the California DFW (Southern Region ocean fishing). Check the official California regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Lake Hemet 74 mi · San Pedro Bay 95 mi · Queensway Bay 96 mi · Middle Harbor 96 mi · Inner Harbor 97 mi · Colorado River (Yuma Division) 149 mi, AZ · Redondo Lake 156 mi, AZ · Colorado River (Palo Verde / Cibola) 157 mi, AZ · Colorado River (Imperial Division) 157 mi, AZ · Colorado River (Laguna Division) 157 mi, AZ · Colorado River (Parker Strip) 202 mi, AZ · Lake Havasu 215 mi, AZ/CA
See how San Diego Bay stacks up: best california halibut lakes in California · best barred sand bass lakes in California · best spotted sand bass lakes in California · best kelp bass lakes in California
Browse all California fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA, USACE, U.S. Navy and San Diego Unified Port District San Diego Bay federal hydrographic survey composite (MLLW; 75% measured, 20% 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.