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17,271-acre Blue Hill Bay fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (99.98% measured, 99.98% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 338 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. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
The outline encloses 17,251 acres, worked by 40.5 miles of shoreline, with 33 islands in the mix. A development index of 2.2 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 10% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 11.9 mi, about 7 mi across. Its nearest charted neighbour, Eastern Passage, is 1 mi to the north.
Spring puts striped bass in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 25 to 60 ft, wintering in 20 to 50 ft. Summer striped bass concentrate at Sharp break, a prime-rated drop-off around 47 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (47 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Sharp break (47 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
When the water first warms, bluefish slide up into 3 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 40 ft. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | open water | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | open water | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Start shallow in spring: atlantic mackerel sit in 5 to 45 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 15 to 80 ft, and winter fish settle into 30 to 120 ft. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 47 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic mackerel in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a feather rig or a small vertical jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (47 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (47 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (47 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (114 ft) | Small deep jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic cod in 20 to 100 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 45 to 180 ft before dropping to 50 to 220 ft for winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted underwater rock, a rock pile in about 23 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic cod in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 20 to 100 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (23 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 45 to 180 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (40 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 25 to 140 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (37 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 50 to 220 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (40 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Come spring, look for atlantic herring tight to the bank in 5 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 50 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 60 ft. Start at Sharp break. It's a drop-off holding about 47 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A herring feather rig or a small silver jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (13 ft) | Small herring feather rig, Micro jig rig |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (47 ft) | Herring feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Fall | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (47 ft) | Small feather rig, Compact silver spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Sharp break (47 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
Count 105 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Surveyed channel edge, sits near 218 ft.
Access data: Maine GeoLibrary — Boat Launches (Maine IF&W / DACF). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Maine waters are set by the Maine DMR (saltwater recreational fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Blue Hill Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maine fishing regulations →
Blue Hill Bay is about 338 ft (103 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, atlantic mackerel, atlantic cod, atlantic herring on Blue Hill Bay.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 23 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic cod in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Blue Hill Bay is regulated by the Maine DMR (saltwater recreational fishing). Check the official Maine regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Eastern Passage 1 mi · Casco Passage 3 mi · Bass Harbor 3 mi · Mackerel Cove 3 mi · Bass Harbor Bar 3 mi · Goose Pond 5 mi · Southwest Harbor 6 mi · Naskeag Harbor 7 mi · Jericho Bay 7 mi · Toothacher Bay 7 mi · Long Pond 8 mi · Cranberry Harbor 8 mi
See how Blue Hill Bay stacks up: best striped bass lakes in Maine · best bluefish lakes in Maine · best atlantic herring lakes in Maine · best atlantic mackerel lakes in Maine
Browse all Maine fishing maps or 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.