Salt water depth chart
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45-acre Wrangell Harbor fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (96.92% measured), 2018 ADF&G Wrangell port samples, measured fishing spots, Heritage Harbor access and active-harbor advisories. The water tops out around 43 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Wrangell Harbor maps at 45 acres behind 2.5 miles of shoreline, with 2 islands in the mix. An index of 2.7 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. About 52% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 0.4 mi, about 0.3 mi across. If the bite dies, Border Lake is 64 mi to the east.
Spring chinook salmon on Wrangell Harbor hold shallow, usually 5 to 40 ft. They move out to 13 to 43 ft in summer and finish the year down in 13 to 43 ft. Put Surveyed channel edge first on the milk run — a drop-off near 26 ft that grades good for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 13 to 43 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 9 to 43 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 13 to 43 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Early season coho salmon use the shallows, holding in 3 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 13 to 43 ft, then a winter hold in 13 to 43 ft. Put Surveyed channel edge first on the milk run — a drop-off near 26 ft that grades good for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (4 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 13 to 43 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 13 to 43 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Start shallow in spring: pink salmon sit in 6 to 43 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 43 ft covers summer, 10 to 43 ft covers winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted underwater rock, a rock pile in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for pink salmon in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a pink or orange casting spoon or a small hoochie until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 43 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | Small chrome spoon, Compact herring-pattern jig |
| Summer | 2 to 43 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (5 ft) | Pink or orange casting spoon, Small hoochie |
| Fall | 1 to 43 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (5 ft) | Small bright spoon, Pink jig |
| Winter | 10 to 43 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | Small vertical jig |
Come spring, look for chum salmon tight to the bank in 6 to 43 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 43 ft; the winter hold is 11 to 43 ft. If you only fish one area, make it NOAA charted underwater rock: a rock pile around 5 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A chartreuse or pink hoochie or a bright spoon is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 43 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | Chrome spoon, Compact baitfish jig |
| Summer | 2 to 43 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (5 ft) | Chartreuse or pink hoochie, Bright spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 43 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (5 ft) | Bright spinner, Pink or chartreuse jig |
| Winter | 11 to 43 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
In spring, pacific halibut run shallow here, mostly 9 to 43 ft. Summer keeps them at 5 to 43 ft, and they winter in 11 to 43 ft. Fall pacific halibut concentrate at NOAA charted rock bottom, a prime-rated hard bottom around 8 ft. Fish it in midday and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a heavy vertical jig or a large swimbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 9 to 43 ft | dawn | NOAA charted rock bottom (16 ft) | Heavy glow jig, Large grub on lead head |
| Summer | 5 to 43 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted rock bottom (8 ft) | Heavy vertical jig, Large swimbait |
| Fall | 7 to 43 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (8 ft) | Heavy glow jig, Large grub |
| Winter | 11 to 43 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | Heavy slow-pitch jig |
Early season lingcod use the shallows, holding in 8 to 43 ft. Even in summer they hold at 5 to 43 ft; winter keeps them in 11 to 43 ft. Put NOAA charted underwater rock first on the milk run — a rock pile near 10 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in midday and early morning. Tie on a heavy swimbait or a metal jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 43 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Summer | 5 to 43 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (5 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Fall | 6 to 43 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large swimbait |
| Winter | 11 to 43 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (16 ft) | Heavy slow-pitch jig |
Wrangell Harbor also holds black rockfish (3 to 43 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 16 structure features on Wrangell Harbor; the deepest is Surveyed channel edge at about 26 ft.
Access data: Alaska Department of Fish and Game Heritage Harbor access map and City and Borough of Wrangell harbor records. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Alaska waters are set by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (Southeast sport fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Wrangell Harbor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alaska fishing regulations →
Wrangell Harbor is about 43 ft (13 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 chinook salmon, coho salmon, pink salmon, chum salmon, pacific halibut, lingcod, black rockfish on Wrangell Harbor.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for lingcod in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For chinook salmon, 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 Wrangell Harbor is regulated by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (Southeast sport fishing). Check the official Alaska regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Border Lake 64 mi, BC · Tom Mackay Lake 72 mi, BC · Ward Cove 78 mi · Ketchikan Harbor Anchorage Area 82 mi · Clam Cove 84 mi · Unuk Lake 84 mi, BC · Bald Headed Cove 85 mi · Desiree Lake 86 mi, BC · Teigen Lake 86 mi, BC · Yehiniko Lake 87 mi, BC · Hodkin Lake 87 mi, BC · Bob Quinn Lake 87 mi, BC
See how Wrangell Harbor stacks up: best chinook salmon lakes in Alaska · best coho salmon lakes in Alaska · best pink salmon lakes in Alaska · best chum salmon lakes in Alaska
Browse all Alaska fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 97% measured, 3% 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.