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63,796-acre bay near Toms River. The water tops out around 31 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetric surveys, so measured depths remain distinct from source interpolation. The channels, holes and drop-offs come from the source data, not a distance-from-shore model. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The drawn water covers 60,349 acres wrapped in 376.7 miles of bank — 80 islands included. An index of 10.9 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. End to end it runs roughly 39.4 mi, about 13.3 mi across. Ocean County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Little Egg Harbor, is 15 mi to the south.
Start shallow in spring: striped bass sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 9 to 31 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 31 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 9 to 31 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (14 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 9 to 31 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (9 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 9 to 31 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
Spring puts summer flounder (fluke) in skinny water — 5 to 25 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 7 to 31 ft, wintering in 9 to 31 ft. Summer summer flounder (fluke) concentrate at Sharp break, a prime-rated drop-off around 8 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around midday and early morning. A bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (8 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 7 to 31 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (8 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 8 to 31 ft | midday | Sharp break (8 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 9 to 31 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
Early season bluefish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 5 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 9 to 31 ft. Put Creek inflow first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 3 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (3 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Gravel shoal (4 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Creek inflow (3 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 9 to 31 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Start shallow in spring: black sea bass sit in 8 to 31 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 8 to 31 ft covers summer, 9 to 31 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for black sea bass in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around midday and early morning. Throw a bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 31 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (8 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 8 to 31 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (8 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 8 to 31 ft | midday | Sharp break (8 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 9 to 31 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
When the water first warms, tautog (blackfish) slide up into 5 to 25 ft. Summer is a 9 to 31 ft game here, winter a 9 to 31 ft one. Start at Sharp break. It's a drop-off holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (8 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 9 to 31 ft | dawn | Marina / dock area (3 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 6 to 31 ft | midday | Sharp break (8 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 9 to 31 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
Structure-wise the chart holds 36 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 14 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New Jersey waters are set by the New Jersey Fish & Wildlife (marine) — and special regulations can apply to Barnegat Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Jersey fishing regulations →
Barnegat Bay is about 31 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetric surveys, so measured depths remain distinct from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target striped bass, summer flounder (fluke), bluefish, black sea bass, tautog (blackfish) on Barnegat Bay.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For striped bass, 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 Barnegat Bay is regulated by the New Jersey Fish & Wildlife (marine). Check the official New Jersey regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Little Egg Harbor 15 mi · Pohatcong Lake 15 mi · Lake Absegami 17 mi · Great Bay 21 mi · Little Egg Inlet 22 mi · Manasquan River 23 mi · Big Pine Lake 24 mi · Mill Pond 25 mi · Lake Pemberton 28 mi · Sylvan Lake 30 mi · Deal Lake 32 mi · Hammonton Lake 33 mi
See how Barnegat Bay stacks up: best striped bass lakes in New Jersey · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes in New Jersey · best bluefish lakes in New Jersey · best black sea bass lakes in New Jersey
Browse all New Jersey fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (ENC soundings, MLLW datum). 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.