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12,299-acre Broad Sound fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (99.96% measured, 100% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 94 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 is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Early season striped bass use the shallows, holding in 5 to 20 ft. Summer is a 25 to 60 ft game here, winter a 20 to 50 ft one. The chart's best answer is Surveyed channel edge — drop-off, 51 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) and you're in the game.
| 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 | Surveyed channel edge (51 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 | Surveyed channel edge (51 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
In spring, bluefish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 40 ft. Feeding flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 21 ft, rated prime for fall bluefish. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (21 ft) | 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 | Feeding flat (21 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | open water | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Early season black sea bass use the shallows, holding in 10 to 40 ft. Summer is a 15 to 60 ft game here, winter a 28 to 94 ft one. The chart's best answer is NOAA charted underwater rock — rock pile, 13 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is midday and early morning. Tie on a bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (13 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | Nahant Rock (34 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 20 to 80 ft | midday | Nahant Rock (34 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 28 to 94 ft | midday | Nahant Rock (34 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
Start shallow in spring: tautog (blackfish) sit in 5 to 25 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 30 to 70 ft. Top water on the chart: NOAA charted underwater rock, a rock pile in the 6 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 (13 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (13 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 30 to 70 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (65 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
Spring atlantic mackerel on Broad Sound hold shallow, usually 5 to 45 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 80 ft, and by winter most fish are in 24 to 94 ft. The chart's best answer is Surveyed channel edge — drop-off, 51 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a feather rig or a small vertical jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (51 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (51 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (51 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 24 to 94 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (51 ft) | Small deep jig |
When the water first warms, atlantic cod slide up into 19 to 94 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 24 to 94 ft, winter 21 to 94 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Nahant Rock: a rock pile around 34 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 19 to 94 ft | dawn | Nahant Rock (34 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 24 to 94 ft | dawn | Nahant Rock (34 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 17 to 94 ft | dawn | Nahant Rock (34 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 21 to 94 ft | midday | Nahant Rock (34 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
151 pieces of structure are mapped here — Surveyed channel edge, around 82 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 Broad Sound specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Massachusetts fishing regulations →
Broad Sound is about 94 ft (29 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 Broad Sound.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for black sea bass in spring. 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 Broad Sound 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.
Nahant Harbor 2 mi · Nahant Bay 3 mi · Lynn Harbor 4 mi · President Roads 5 mi · Sculpin Ledge Channel 6 mi · Nantasket Roads 6 mi · Sluice Pond 7 mi · Hingham Bay 8 mi · Marblehead Harbor 8 mi · Salem Harbor 9 mi · Spot Pond 9 mi · Marblehead Channel 10 mi
See how Broad Sound 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 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.