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214-acre Santa Maria 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 91 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
On the chart, Santa Maria Bay draws 214 acres inside 3 miles of shoreline. Index 1.5 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 13% of this chart. Call it 1 mi long by 0.7 mi wide at the broadest reach. The nearest mapped water is Fortuna Bay, 2 mi to the southwest.
Come spring, look for atlantic tarpon tight to the bank in 3 to 25 ft. They move out to 4 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it NOAA charted rock bottom: a hard bottom around 10 ft that scores good in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A heavy paddletail or a swimbait in pass current is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (10 ft) | 4-6 inch paddletail, Suspending baitfish plug |
| Summer | 4 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Heavy paddletail, Swimbait in pass current |
| Fall | 3 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (10 ft) | Mullet-profile swimbait, Surface plug |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Slow-rolled paddletail, Suspending plug |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: jack crevalle in 2 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 35 ft, wintering in 5 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: NOAA charted rock bottom, a hard bottom in the 10 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a pencil popper or a casting spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (10 ft) | Surface popper, Metal jig |
| Summer | 3 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Pencil popper, Casting spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (10 ft) | Topwater walker, Metal jig |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Compact metal jig, Slow-rolled paddletail |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellowtail snapper in 8 to 60 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 70 ft before dropping to 12 to 80 ft for winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted rock bottom, a hard bottom in about 31 ft of water that rates prime for yellowtail snapper in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a micro jig or a small paddletail gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Small bucktail, Light vertical jig |
| Summer | 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Micro jig, Small paddletail |
| Fall | 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Small vertical jig, Baitfish streamer |
| Winter | 12 to 80 ft | dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Small jig worked deep, Bucktail |
Spring mutton snapper on Santa Maria Bay hold shallow, usually 8 to 65 ft. They move out to 10 to 80 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 90 ft. Put NOAA charted rock bottom first on the milk run — a hard bottom near 31 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a heavy bucktail or a vertical jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Bucktail near bottom, Paddletail |
| Summer | 10 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Heavy bucktail, Vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 75 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Bucktail + strip, Slow vertical jig |
| Winter | 15 to 90 ft | dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Slow jig, Bottom bucktail |
Spring great barracuda on Santa Maria Bay hold shallow, usually 2 to 45 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 55 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 65 ft. The chart's best answer is NOAA charted rock bottom — hard bottom, 31 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a fast swimbait or a spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 45 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Fast tube lure, Long minnow plug |
| Summer | 3 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Fast swimbait, Spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 55 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Mullet-profile plug, Tube lure |
| Winter | 5 to 65 ft | midday & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Long minnow plug, Fast jig |
Early season gray snapper (mangrove snapper) use the shallows, holding in 3 to 22 ft. Summer is a 4 to 30 ft game here, winter an 8 to 45 ft one. The chart's best answer is NOAA charted rock bottom — hard bottom, 10 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a small bucktail or a paddletail and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (10 ft) | Small paddletail, Jighead + shrimp imitation |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (10 ft) | Small bucktail, Paddletail |
| Fall | 5 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Small vertical jig, Jighead + paddletail |
| Winter | 8 to 45 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (31 ft) | Small jig worked slowly |
Count 15 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, NOAA NCCOS mapped scattered coral/rock in unconsolidated, sits near 91 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 Santa Maria Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official U.S. Virgin Islands fishing regulations →
Santa Maria Bay is about 91 ft (28 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 Santa Maria 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 charted rock bottom is the top-rated area: a hard bottom in about 31 ft of water that rates prime for yellowtail snapper in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Santa Maria 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.
Fortuna Bay 2 mi · Brewers Bay 2 mi · Hawksbill Cove 3 mi · Hull Bay 3 mi · Lindbergh Bay 3 mi · Krum Bay 4 mi · Crown Bay 4 mi · West Gregerie Channel 4 mi · Magens Bay 4 mi · Druif Bay 4 mi · Cay Bay 5 mi · Flamingo Bay 5 mi
See how Santa Maria 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.