Locating Reef

Hello All,

I am wondering if there are any good websites people would recommend for pre-scouting reef locations off the coast?  Or is the only way to find reef is to search for it yourself with the fish finder?  My fishfinder came with a Navionics card.  would it have reefs on the map?

Thanks for helping a newbie!

Zach

Hello,

I like using the Navionics maps. I have downloaded the app to my iphone and Ipad. In addition I use the webapp on my computer. I have spent countless hours scouring the maps in search of good structure. All in all it has paid off and I have found some productive fishing holes. I included the link below for the webapp.

http://webapp.navionics.com

Best regards,

Dave

Just what I was looking for!  Thank you!

I'm sure we could write about book about this topic.

1.) Browsing your Navionics card is a good place to start.  If you want, you can browse Navionics online via there WebApp.   https://webapp.navionics.com

2.) NOAA Charts are a good place to try.  Again, here's an online link.
http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/NOAAChartViewer.html

Here's a direct link to the Depoe Bay chart
http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/18561.shtml

On both the Navionics and NOAA charts... look for "Rk" which are rocky reefs or bathymetry lines with a steep slope

3.) If you have access to some GIS software, here is a link with information on access to data used by NOAA and OSU to identify habitat.

http://efh-catalog.coas.oregonstate.edu/habitat/

Other options..

Google Maps.. satellite

Look for rocky shore, rocky points, and large off shore rocks (i.e. haystacks)   This should give you a feel for where rocky reefs might be found in the water.



Brian

Thanks for the wealth of knowledge Brian!

There's also this fun NOAA site

http://maps.ngdc.noaa.gov/viewers/bathymetry/

(toggle off the default "Bathymetric surveys" button, toggle on the "BAG Color Shaded Relief Imagery" button, and zoom in to the area of interest)

If there's a coverage for your target area (say, most of Puget Sound), you'll see nicely detailed seafloor maps.  If not covered, you'll still get good info, just less detail.  And the BAGs only show depths > 5m since that was about the limit of their data collection vessels.  I have used screenshots, printed out and carried with me, as guides since I don't have a FF or GPS unit.

Jim