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479-acre Bucks Harbor fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (100% measured, 100% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 67 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
The drawn water covers 478 acres wrapped in 5.7 miles of bank — one island included. With a 1.9 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 14% of this chart. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.2 mi with a 0.9-mi widest point. Its nearest charted neighbour, Orcutt Harbor, is 1 mi to the northwest.
Start shallow in spring: striped bass sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 25 to 60 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 50 ft. The spot to know is Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in about 27 ft of water that rates good 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (19 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
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 15 to 40 ft. Put Surveyed channel edge first on the milk run — a drop-off near 27 ft that grades good for summer. 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 | Surveyed channel edge (19 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (19 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | open water | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Spring puts atlantic mackerel in skinny water — 5 to 45 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 13 to 67 ft, wintering in 17 to 67 ft. Summer atlantic mackerel concentrate at Surveyed channel edge, a good-rated drop-off around 27 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A feather rig or a small vertical jig 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 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 13 to 67 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 17 to 67 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 120 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Small deep jig |
Spring puts atlantic cod in skinny water — 13 to 67 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 17 to 67 ft, and winter fish hold in 15 to 67 ft. NOAA charted underwater rock is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 14 ft, rated prime for spring atlantic cod. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig 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 | 13 to 67 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 100 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (14 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 17 to 67 ft chart-limited; documented 45 to 180 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (14 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 12 to 67 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 140 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (14 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 15 to 67 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 220 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (14 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Spring atlantic herring on Bucks Harbor hold shallow, usually 5 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 50 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 60 ft. The chart's best answer is NOAA charted underwater rock — rock pile, 11 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a herring feather rig or a small silver jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (11 ft) | Small herring feather rig, Micro jig rig |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Herring feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Fall | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Small feather rig, Compact silver spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: winter flounder in 2 to 18 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 30 ft before dropping to 3 to 20 ft for winter. The spot to know is Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in about 19 ft of water that rates good for winter flounder in fall. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a light scented jig worked slowly gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (19 ft) | Small bucktail tipped with worm, Scented grub on a light jig |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Light scented jig worked slowly |
| Fall | 6 to 25 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (19 ft) | Small bucktail + worm, Scented bottom jig |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (19 ft) | Small bucktail tipped with worm |
9 pieces of structure are mapped here — Surveyed channel edge, around 40 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Bucks Harbor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maine fishing regulations →
Bucks Harbor is about 67 ft (20 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, winter flounder on Bucks Harbor. The list combines the water's survey records with habitat-filtered species from broader official evidence; those additions are plausible occurrences, not exact-water abundance or guaranteed catches.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic cod in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Bucks Harbor 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.
Orcutt Harbor 1 mi · Deadman Cove 1 mi · Eggemoggin Reach 2 mi · Walker Pond 2 mi · Blastow Cove 4 mi · Lords Cove 5 mi · Greenlaw Cove 10 mi · Blue Hill Harbor 10 mi · Southeast Harbor 11 mi · Noyes Pond 11 mi · Kellys Cove 11 mi · Naskeag Harbor 12 mi
See how Bucks Harbor stacks up: best striped bass lakes in Maine · best winter flounder lakes in Maine · best bluefish lakes in Maine · best atlantic herring lakes in Maine
Browse all Maine 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.