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Fishing Santa Rosa Sound: what the data says
27,711-acre sound near Gulf Breeze. The water tops out around 25 ft. The depth chart is built from real NOAA hydrographic survey soundings (depths referenced to low tide), so the channels, holes and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Red Drum (Redfish) fishing at Santa Rosa Sound
Spring red drum (redfish) on Santa Rosa Sound hold shallow, usually 1 to 8 ft. They move out to 2 to 12 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Nantahala Creek inflow: a inflow / creek mouth around 3 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & midday | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Spotted Seatrout fishing at Santa Rosa Sound
In spring, spotted seatrout run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 4 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 20 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for spring spotted seatrout. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Tie on a popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dusk | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
Southern Flounder fishing at Santa Rosa Sound
Start shallow in spring: southern flounder sit in 2 to 15 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 3 to 18 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 25 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Old creek channel: a creek channel around 13 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. A jighead + gulp swimming mullet or a bucktail tipped with shrimp covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn | 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (white/chartreuse), Bucktail + Gulp shrimp |
| Summer | 3 to 18 ft | dawn | Jighead + Gulp swimming mullet, Bucktail tipped with shrimp |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | midday | 3/8 oz bucktail + Gulp (passes), Big paddletail on the jetty edge |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday | Slow jig + scented grub in the holes |
Sheepshead fishing at Santa Rosa Sound
In spring, sheepshead run shallow here, mostly 5 to 25 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 15 ft, and winter fish hold in 8 to 25 ft. Marina / dock area is the standout, a dock line at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for summer sheepshead. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a small jig + crab piece and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | 1/4 oz jighead + fiddler, Sheepshead jig + shrimp piece |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn | Small jig + crab piece |
| Fall | 5 to 20 ft | midday | Jighead + shrimp, Small crab jig |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday | Heavier jig + crab (deep pilings) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 19 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 14 ft
- Old creek channel: creek channel, around 13 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 7 ft
- Creek inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 7 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 6 ft
- Shoreline point: point, around 5 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 4 ft
- Marina / dock area: dock line, around 4 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Nantahala Creek inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 3 ft
- Gravel shoal: gravel shoal, around 3 ft
- Shoreline point: point, around 3 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is Santa Rosa Sound?
Santa Rosa Sound is about 25 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real NOAA hydrographic surveys (charted soundings referenced to low tide), so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Santa Rosa Sound?
Anglers target red drum (redfish), spotted seatrout, southern flounder, sheepshead on Santa Rosa Sound.
Where is the best fishing spot on Santa Rosa Sound?
Nantahala Creek inflow is the top-rated area: a inflow / creek mouth in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for red drum (redfish) in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Santa Rosa Sound?
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.
Nearby waters
East Bay · Escambia Bay · Pensacola Bay · Choctawhatchee Bay · Merritts Mill Pond · Lake Talquin
See how Santa Rosa Sound stacks up: best red drum (redfish) lakes in Florida · best spotted seatrout lakes in Florida · best southern flounder lakes in Florida · best sheepshead lakes in Florida
Browse all Florida fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (ENC soundings, MLLW datum). How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.