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446-acre Cranberry Harbor fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (99.35% measured, 100% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 32 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 445 acres, worked by 6 miles of shoreline, broken up by 9 islands. A middling shoreline index (2) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. 54% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.3 mi with a 0.9-mi widest point. Gilley Thorofare sits 1 mi north — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring puts striped bass in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 32 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 32 ft. Surveyed channel edge is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 18 ft, rated good for summer striped bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light 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 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 9 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
When the water first warms, bluefish slide up into 3 to 20 ft. Summer is a 5 to 30 ft game here, winter a 10 to 32 ft one. Start at Surveyed channel edge. It's a drop-off holding about 18 ft of water and rates good come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips rigged through the warm months.
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 | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 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 | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | midday | open water | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Start shallow in spring: atlantic mackerel sit in 4 to 32 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 6 to 32 ft covers summer, 8 to 32 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in the 18 ft range, good in summer. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a feather rig or a small vertical jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
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 | 4 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 6 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 5 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 8 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 120 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Small deep jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic cod in 6 to 32 ft. The depth story barely changes: 8 to 32 ft through summer, 7 to 32 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: NOAA charted underwater rock, a rock pile in the 6 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic 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 | 6 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 100 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (6 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 8 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 45 to 180 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (12 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 6 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 140 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (6 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 7 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 220 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (12 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Come spring, look for atlantic herring tight to the bank in 5 to 25 ft. They move out to 10 to 32 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 32 ft. If you only fish one area, make it NOAA charted underwater rock: a rock pile around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A herring feather rig or a small silver jig 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 | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (6 ft) | Small herring feather rig, Micro jig rig |
| Summer | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Herring feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Fall | 8 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Small feather rig, Compact silver spoon |
| Winter | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
Spring puts winter flounder in skinny water — 2 to 18 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 30 ft, wintering in 3 to 20 ft. Spring winter flounder concentrate at Surveyed channel edge, a good-rated drop-off around 18 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A light scented jig worked slowly covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Small bucktail tipped with worm, Scented grub on a light jig |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Light scented jig worked slowly |
| Fall | 6 to 25 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Small bucktail + worm, Scented bottom jig |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Small bucktail tipped with worm |
Count 17 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Surveyed channel edge, sits near 30 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 Cranberry Harbor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maine fishing regulations →
Cranberry Harbor is about 32 ft (10 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 Cranberry 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 6 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 Cranberry 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.
Gilley Thorofare 1 mi · Long Pond 3 mi · Northeast Harbor 3 mi · Southwest Harbor 3 mi · Bass Harbor Bar 5 mi · Bass Harbor 5 mi · Newport Cove 6 mi · Long Pond 8 mi · Eastern Passage 8 mi · Blue Hill Bay 8 mi · Cromwell Cove 9 mi · Bar Harbor 10 mi
See how Cranberry 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; 99% measured, 1% 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.