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1,833-acre Cockenoe Harbor fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (94.79% measured, 98.99% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 30 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 1,831 acres, worked by 20.5 miles of shoreline — 24 islands included. The 3.4 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Roughly 88% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 2.4 mi, about 2.3 mi across. Its nearest charted neighbour, Norwalk Harbor, is 1 mi to the west.
In spring, striped bass run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 9 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 30 ft. Surveyed channel edge is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 18 ft, rated prime for summer striped bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
Come spring, look for bluefish tight to the bank in 3 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 5 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 9 to 30 ft. Start at Surveyed channel edge. It's a drop-off holding about 18 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: summer flounder (fluke) in 5 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 7 to 30 ft, wintering in 9 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in the 18 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for midday and early morning. Summer baits: a bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 7 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
In spring, black sea bass run shallow here, mostly 8 to 30 ft. Summer keeps them at 8 to 30 ft, and they winter in 9 to 30 ft. NOAA charted underwater rock is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 9 ft, rated prime for spring black sea bass. Time it for midday and early morning. You won't need more than a bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
Early season tautog (blackfish) use the shallows, holding in 5 to 25 ft. Summer is a 9 to 30 ft game here, winter a 9 to 30 ft one. The chart's best answer is NOAA charted underwater rock — rock pile, 7 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 6 to 30 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
24 pieces of structure are mapped here — Shallow feeding flat, around 20 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Connecticut DEEP — State Boat Launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Connecticut waters are set by the Connecticut DEEP (marine fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Cockenoe Harbor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Connecticut fishing regulations →
Cockenoe Harbor is about 30 ft (9 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, summer flounder (fluke), black sea bass, tautog (blackfish) on Cockenoe Harbor.
Surveyed channel edge is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 18 ft of water that rates prime for summer flounder (fluke) in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Cockenoe Harbor is regulated by the Connecticut DEEP (marine fishing). Check the official Connecticut regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Norwalk Harbor 1 mi · Sheffield Island Harbor 3 mi · Saugatuck River 3 mi, CT/NY · Stamford Harbor 9 mi · Huntington Bay 11 mi, NY · Greenwich Cove 11 mi · Northport Bay 11 mi, NY · Lloyd Harbor 12 mi, NY · Centerport Harbor 13 mi, NY · Saugatuck Reservoir 13 mi · Huntington Harbor 13 mi, NY · Smithtown Bay 14 mi, NY
See how Cockenoe Harbor stacks up: best striped bass lakes in Connecticut · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes in Connecticut · best bluefish lakes in Connecticut · best black sea bass lakes in Connecticut
Browse all Connecticut fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 95% measured, 4% 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.