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3,886-acre South Clearwater Harbor section with quality-assured NOAA and 2022 USACE survey contours, named-water trawl evidence, mapped seagrass and oyster habitat, charted wreck structure, and verified unrestricted public access. The water tops out around 25 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The outline encloses 3,892 acres, worked by 58.8 miles of shoreline — 18 islands included. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 6.7) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. End to end it runs roughly 7.3 mi, about 1.8 mi across. Its nearest charted neighbour, North Clearwater Harbor, is 6 mi to the north.
Spring puts spotted seatrout in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 15 ft, wintering in 5 to 20 ft. Spring spotted seatrout concentrate at 2024 patchy seagrass edge, a prime-rated seagrass edge around 2 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | 2024 patchy seagrass edge (2 ft) | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn | 2024 patchy seagrass edge (4 ft) | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | 2024 patchy seagrass edge (4 ft) | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dusk | GIWW CAL TO ANC (PINELLAS COUNTY) channel edge (8 ft) | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
Spring puts gray snapper (mangrove snapper) in skinny water — 3 to 22 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 25 ft, wintering in 4 to 25 ft. Summer gray snapper (mangrove snapper) concentrate at NOAA charted pier, a prime-rated dock line around 4 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A small bucktail or a paddletail covers the summer program.
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 22 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (4 ft) | Small paddletail, Jighead + shrimp imitation |
| Summer | 3 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (4 ft) | Small bucktail, Paddletail |
| Fall | 4 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (4 ft) | Small vertical jig, Jighead + paddletail |
| Winter | 4 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 45 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (2 ft) | Small jig worked slowly |
Early season gag grouper use the shallows, holding in 4 to 24 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 25 ft. Put 2024 patchy seagrass edge first on the milk run — a seagrass edge near 4 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a deep-diving plug or a heavy paddletail and you're in the game.
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 24 ft | dawn & dusk | 2024 patchy seagrass edge (4 ft) | Diving plug over grass potholes, Paddletail near rubble |
| Summer | 4 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (2 ft) | Deep-diving plug, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 50 ft | dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (2 ft) | Deep-diving plug, Vertical jig |
| Winter | 6 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (2 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Spring red drum (redfish) on South Clearwater Harbor 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. Put GIWW CAL TO ANC (PINELLAS COUNTY) channel edge first on the milk run — a channel edge near 8 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | 2024 oyster bars edge (1 ft) | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | GIWW CAL TO ANC (PINELLAS COUNTY) channel edge (8 ft) | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & midday | 2024 oyster bars edge (2 ft) | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | GIWW CAL TO ANC (PINELLAS COUNTY) channel edge (8 ft) | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Early season sheepshead use the shallows, holding in 5 to 25 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 15 ft; winter keeps them in 8 to 25 ft. The chart's best answer is NOAA charted pier — dock line, 4 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a small jig + crab piece and you're in the game.
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 25 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted pile (8 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + fiddler, Sheepshead jig + shrimp piece |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn | NOAA charted pier (4 ft) | Small jig + crab piece |
| Fall | 5 to 20 ft | midday | NOAA charted pile (8 ft) | Jighead + shrimp, Small crab jig |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | midday | NOAA charted pile (8 ft) | Heavier jig + crab (deep pilings) |
Spring gulf flounder on South Clearwater Harbor hold shallow, usually 2 to 14 ft. By summer they slide out to 4 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 25 ft. The chart's best answer is GIWW CAL TO ANC (PINELLAS COUNTY) channel edge — channel edge, 8 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a paddletail dragged on bottom or a bucktail + swimming mullet.
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 14 ft | dawn | GIWW CAL TO ANC (PINELLAS COUNTY) channel edge (8 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail, Bucktail + scented shrimp |
| Summer | 4 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | GIWW CAL TO ANC (PINELLAS COUNTY) channel edge (8 ft) | Paddletail dragged on bottom, Bucktail + swimming mullet |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 28 ft | midday & dusk | GIWW CAL TO ANC (PINELLAS COUNTY) channel edge (8 ft) | 3/8 oz bucktail + scented grub, Paddletail on a heavier jighead |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | midday | GIWW CAL TO ANC (PINELLAS COUNTY) channel edge (8 ft) | Slow jig + scented grub |
South Clearwater Harbor also holds black drum (3 to 18 ft in summer), snook (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
South Clearwater Harbor carries 163 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at CLEARWATER PASS channel edge, about 19 ft down.
Access data: Florida FWC — Boat Ramp Inventory. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Florida waters are set by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (saltwater) — and special regulations can apply to South Clearwater Harbor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Florida fishing regulations →
South Clearwater Harbor is about 25 ft (8 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 spotted seatrout, gray snapper (mangrove snapper), gag grouper, red drum (redfish), sheepshead, gulf flounder, black drum, snook on South Clearwater Harbor.
NOAA charted pier is the top-rated area: a dock line in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for gray snapper (mangrove snapper) in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For spotted seatrout, 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 South Clearwater Harbor is regulated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (saltwater). Check the official Florida regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
North Clearwater Harbor 6 mi · South St. Joseph Sound 11 mi · Old Tampa Bay 12 mi · Boca Ciega Bay 14 mi · Lake Tarpon 14 mi · North St. Joseph Sound 15 mi · Pass A Grille Channel 17 mi · Anclote Anchorage 19 mi · Bunces Pass 20 mi · Mullet Key Bayou 21 mi · Middle Tampa Bay 22 mi · Hillsborough Bay 24 mi
See how South Clearwater Harbor stacks up: best red drum (redfish) lakes in Florida · best spotted seatrout lakes in Florida · best sheepshead lakes in Florida · best snook lakes in Florida
Browse all Florida fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 70% measured, 27% 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.