Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeSalt water depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
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 topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
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 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 9 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (14 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 9 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (9 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 9 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
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.
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 | Sharp break (8 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 7 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (8 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 8 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 45 ft | midday | Sharp break (8 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 9 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 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.
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 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 chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 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.
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 | 8 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (8 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 8 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (8 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 8 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | midday | Sharp break (8 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 9 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 100 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.
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 | Sharp break (8 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 9 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn | Marina / dock area (3 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 6 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 50 ft | midday | Sharp break (8 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 9 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
Come spring, look for weakfish tight to the bank in 3 to 20 ft. They move out to 4 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 9 to 31 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Old creek channel: a creek channel around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A 3–5 inch paddletail or a light bucktail is the honest summer answer here.
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 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (3 ft) | Small bucktail + strip, 3-inch paddletail |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (8 ft) | 3-5 inch paddletail, Light bucktail |
| Fall | 4 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (8 ft) | Bucktail + soft-plastic trailer, Small paddletail |
| Winter | 9 to 31 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Small jig worked slowly near bottom |
Barnegat Bay also holds northern kingfish (3 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 26 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), weakfish, northern kingfish 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. 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.