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10,806-acre Upper Sarasota Bay fishing map with NOAA survey contours (46.09% measured, 99.49% assessed), 240 measured reef, pier, rock, channel, grass, oyster and depth-transition spots, eight FWC-surveyed fish, six public launches, three forage calendars and current Florida rules. The water tops out around 28 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 drawn water covers 10,827 acres wrapped in 68.7 miles of bank, with 23 islands in the mix. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 4.7) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. About 98% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Figure 8.5 mi of water from one end to the other, 5.1 mi at the beam. Southwest Sarasota Bay sits 1 mi southeast — the closest neighbouring chart.
When the water first warms, sheepshead slide up into 5 to 25 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 15 ft, winter 8 to 28 ft. If you only fish one area, make it NOAA charted underwater rock: a rock pile around 7 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a small jig + crab piece rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | 1/4 oz jighead + fiddler, Sheepshead jig + shrimp piece |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn | NOAA charted pier (6 ft) | Small jig + crab piece |
| Fall | 5 to 20 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | Jighead + shrimp, Small crab jig |
| Winter | 8 to 28 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | Heavier jig + crab (deep pilings) |
Spring snook on Upper Sarasota Bay - Sarasota hold shallow, usually 2 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 4 to 15 ft. The chart's best answer is NOAA charted breakwater — jetty / riprap, 13 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a flair hawk jig (passes, night) or a big swimbait in the current.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (6 ft) | Paddletail on 1/4 oz head, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted breakwater (13 ft) | Flair hawk jig (passes, night), Big swimbait in the current |
| Fall | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (6 ft) | Big paddletail (mullet run), Topwater walker |
| Winter | 4 to 15 ft | midday | NOAA charted pier (6 ft) | Slow-rolled paddletail, Scented jerkbait crawled in canals |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: spotted seatrout in 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 20 ft for winter. The spot to know is 1751932800000 patchy seagrass edge, a seagrass edge in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for spotted seatrout in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | 1751932800000 patchy seagrass edge (3 ft) | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn | 1751932800000 continuous seagrass edge (4 ft) | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | 1751932800000 patchy seagrass edge (3 ft) | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dusk | NEW PASS channel edge (13 ft) | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
Come spring, look for red drum (redfish) tight to the bank in 1 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 2 to 12 ft, then a winter hold in 3 to 15 ft. Start at NOAA charted underwater rock. It's a rock pile holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (3 ft) | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (3 ft) | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & midday | 1751932800000 oyster bars edge (3 ft) | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | NEW PASS channel edge (13 ft) | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: gray snapper (mangrove snapper) in 3 to 22 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 28 ft before dropping to 5 to 28 ft for winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted pier, a dock line in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for gray snapper (mangrove snapper) in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a small bucktail or a paddletail gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (6 ft) | Small paddletail, Jighead + shrimp imitation |
| Summer | 4 to 28 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (6 ft) | Small bucktail, Paddletail |
| Fall | 4 to 28 ft | dawn & dusk | A-1 (11 ft) | Small vertical jig, Jighead + paddletail |
| Winter | 5 to 28 ft | midday | A-1 (11 ft) | Small jig worked slowly |
Come spring, look for gag grouper tight to the bank in 4 to 24 ft. They move out to 5 to 28 ft in summer and finish the year down in 7 to 28 ft. If you only fish one area, make it A-1: an artificial reef around 11 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A deep-diving plug or a heavy paddletail is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 24 ft | dawn & dusk | A-1 (11 ft) | Diving plug over grass potholes, Paddletail near rubble |
| Summer | 5 to 28 ft | dawn & dusk | A-1 (11 ft) | Deep-diving plug, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 6 to 28 ft | dawn | A-1 (11 ft) | Deep-diving plug, Vertical jig |
| Winter | 7 to 28 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (13 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Upper Sarasota Bay - Sarasota also holds gulf flounder (4 to 20 ft in summer), permit (2 to 28 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 288 features, led in depth by Miller ( 3) (Bay) at roughly 18 ft.
Access data: Florida FWC — Boat Ramp Inventory (OBJECTID 2099; RampID SA00342PW). 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 Upper Sarasota Bay - Sarasota specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Florida fishing regulations →
Upper Sarasota Bay - Sarasota is about 28 ft (9 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 sheepshead, snook, spotted seatrout, red drum (redfish), gray snapper (mangrove snapper), gag grouper, gulf flounder, permit on Upper Sarasota Bay - Sarasota.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for sheepshead in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For sheepshead, 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 Upper Sarasota Bay - Sarasota 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.
Southwest Sarasota Bay 1 mi · Big Sarasota Pass 3 mi · Roberts Bay 6 mi · North Sarasota Bay 8 mi · Longboat Pass 9 mi · Little Sarasota Bay 10 mi · Manatee River Estuary 12 mi · Manatee River 13 mi · Blackburn Bay 13 mi · Terra Ceia Bay 15 mi · Passage Key Inlet 17 mi · Lower Tampa Bay 19 mi
See how Upper Sarasota Bay - Sarasota 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 or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 46% measured, 53% 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.