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19-acre Damariscove Harbor fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (100% measured, 100% assessed), source-traceable coastal structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 59 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. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The drawn water covers 19 acres wrapped in 1.3 miles of bank. An index of 2.2 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. 51% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 0.5 mi. Cape Harbor sits 3 mi northwest — the closest neighbouring chart.
In spring, striped bass run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 18 to 59 ft before dropping to 20 to 50 ft for winter. Summer striped bass concentrate at Surveyed channel edge, a good-rated drop-off around 34 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig most summer days.
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 (3 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 18 to 59 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (34 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (34 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (34 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
Come spring, look for bluefish tight to the bank in 3 to 20 ft. They move out to 5 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Surveyed channel edge: a drop-off around 3 ft that scores good in fall. Best bite is 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 | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | open water | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic mackerel in 5 to 45 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 11 to 59 ft before dropping to 15 to 59 ft for winter. The spot to know is Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in about 34 ft of water that rates good for atlantic mackerel in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a feather rig or a small vertical 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 | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (34 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 11 to 59 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (34 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 9 to 59 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (34 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 59 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 120 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (34 ft) | Small deep jig |
Start shallow in spring: atlantic cod sit in 12 to 59 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 15 to 59 ft covers summer, 13 to 59 ft covers winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted underwater rock, a rock pile in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic cod in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic 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 | 12 to 59 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 100 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (12 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 15 to 59 ft chart-limited; documented 45 to 180 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (12 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 11 to 59 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 140 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (12 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 13 to 59 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 220 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (12 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
When the water first warms, atlantic herring slide up into 5 to 25 ft. Summer is a 15 to 50 ft game here, winter an 18 to 59 ft one. Start at NOAA charted underwater rock. It's a rock pile holding about 12 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a herring feather rig or a small silver jig 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 | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (12 ft) | Small herring feather rig, Micro jig rig |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (34 ft) | Herring feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Fall | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (34 ft) | Small feather rig, Compact silver spoon |
| Winter | 18 to 59 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (34 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
In spring, winter flounder run shallow here, mostly 2 to 18 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 3 to 20 ft. Surveyed channel edge is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 3 ft, rated good for spring winter flounder. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a light scented jig worked slowly most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | Small bucktail tipped with worm, Scented grub on a light jig |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn | Surveyed channel edge (34 ft) | Light scented jig worked slowly |
| Fall | 6 to 25 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | Small bucktail + worm, Scented bottom jig |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | Small bucktail tipped with worm |
Damariscove Harbor carries 3 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Surveyed channel edge, about 34 ft down.
Access data: Boothbay Region Land Trust — Damariscove Island Preserve. 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 Damariscove Harbor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maine fishing regulations →
Damariscove Harbor is about 59 ft (18 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 Damariscove 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 12 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic cod 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 Damariscove 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.
Cape Harbor 3 mi · Booth Bay 4 mi · Sheepscot Bay 5 mi · Linekin Bay 6 mi · Boothbay Harbor 6 mi · Ebenecook Harbor 6 mi · Lewis Cove 6 mi · Harmon Harbor 7 mi · Five Islands Harbor 7 mi · Sagadahoc Bay 7 mi · Stage Island Bay 7 mi · Todd Bay 8 mi
See how Damariscove 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.