Salt water depth chart
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471-acre Beverly Channel fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (99.56% measured, 99.85% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. 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. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
The drawn water covers 470 acres wrapped in 6.5 miles of bank, broken up by 14 islands. With a 2.1 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. Roughly 63% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 1.6 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.8 mi at the beam. Beverly Harbor sits 1 mi east — the closest neighbouring chart.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: striped bass in 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 13 to 43 ft before dropping to 13 to 43 ft for winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted bridge support, a causeway / bottleneck in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig gets it done.
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 | NOAA charted bridge support (5 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 13 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Beverly Harbor channel edge (32 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Beverly Harbor channel edge (32 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 13 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | midday | Beverly Harbor channel edge (32 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
Spring bluefish on Beverly Channel hold shallow, usually 3 to 20 ft. They move out to 5 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 40 ft. Put NOAA charted groin first on the milk run — a jetty / riprap near 3 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Beverly Harbor channel edge (18 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted groin (3 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted bridge support (4 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Beverly Harbor channel edge (32 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: black sea bass in 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 11 to 43 ft before dropping to 13 to 43 ft for winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted underwater rock, a rock pile in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for black sea bass in spring. Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser gets it done.
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 | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 11 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 11 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 13 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 100 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
Come spring, look for tautog (blackfish) tight to the bank in 5 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 13 to 43 ft. Start at NOAA charted underwater rock. It's a rock pile holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab 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 | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (6 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 9 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 50 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 13 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
In spring, atlantic mackerel run shallow here, mostly 5 to 43 ft. Summer keeps them at 8 to 43 ft, and they winter in 11 to 43 ft. Summer atlantic mackerel concentrate at Beverly Harbor channel edge, a prime-rated channel edge around 32 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a feather rig or a small vertical jig most summer days.
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 43 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted bridge support (5 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 8 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Beverly Harbor channel edge (32 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 7 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Beverly Harbor channel edge (32 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 11 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 120 ft | midday | Beverly Harbor channel edge (32 ft) | Small deep jig |
In spring, atlantic cod run shallow here, mostly 9 to 43 ft. Summer keeps them at 11 to 43 ft, and they winter in 10 to 43 ft. NOAA charted underwater rock is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 9 ft, rated prime for spring atlantic cod. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig most summer days.
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 | 9 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 100 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 11 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 45 to 180 ft | dawn | NOAA charted rock bottom (11 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 8 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 140 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 10 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 220 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (11 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
52 pieces of structure are mapped here — Beverly Harbor channel edge, around 32 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife — Public Water Access. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Massachusetts waters are set by the Massachusetts DMF (recreational saltwater) — and special regulations can apply to Beverly Channel specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Massachusetts fishing regulations →
Beverly Channel 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 striped bass, bluefish, black sea bass, tautog (blackfish), atlantic mackerel, atlantic cod on Beverly Channel.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for tautog (blackfish) in spring. The interactive chart above rates every 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 Beverly Channel is regulated by the Massachusetts DMF (recreational saltwater). Check the official Massachusetts regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Beverly Harbor 1 mi · Salem Harbor 2 mi · Salem Sound 3 mi · Marblehead Harbor 3 mi · Marblehead Channel 3 mi · Eagle Island Channel 3 mi · Childrens Island Channel 4 mi · Manchester Bay 4 mi · Pleasant Pond 5 mi · Manchester Harbor 5 mi · Chebacco Lake 6 mi · Sluice Pond 6 mi
See how Beverly Channel stacks up: best striped bass lakes in Massachusetts · best bluefish lakes in Massachusetts · best black sea bass lakes in Massachusetts · best tautog (blackfish) lakes in Massachusetts
Browse all Massachusetts fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 100% measured, 0% 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.