Salt water depth chart
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400-acre Dix Island Harbor fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (84.72% measured, 97.69% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 38 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.
Drawn out, this is 400 acres of water rimmed by 6.2 miles of bank — 13 islands included. The 2.2 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 65% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. End to end it runs roughly 1.1 mi, about 1 mi across. For a second option, Home Harbor lies 2 mi southwest.
Come spring, look for striped bass tight to the bank in 5 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 11 to 38 ft, then a winter hold in 11 to 38 ft. Start at Surveyed channel edge. It's a drop-off holding about 18 ft of water and rates good come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light 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 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 11 to 38 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 | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 11 to 38 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluefish in 3 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 30 ft before dropping to 11 to 38 ft for winter. The spot to know is Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in about 18 ft of water that rates good for bluefish in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips 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 | 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 | 11 to 38 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | midday | open water | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Come spring, look for atlantic mackerel tight to the bank in 4 to 38 ft. Through summer count on 7 to 38 ft; the winter hold is 10 to 38 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Surveyed channel edge: a drop-off around 18 ft that scores good in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A feather rig or a small vertical 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 | 4 to 38 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 7 to 38 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 6 to 38 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 10 to 38 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 120 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Small deep jig |
Early season atlantic cod use the shallows, holding in 8 to 38 ft. Even in summer they hold at 10 to 38 ft; winter keeps them in 9 to 38 ft. The chart's best answer is NOAA charted underwater rock — rock pile, 10 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig and you're in the game.
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 | 8 to 38 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 100 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 10 to 38 ft chart-limited; documented 45 to 180 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 7 to 38 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 140 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 9 to 38 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 220 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Start shallow in spring: atlantic herring sit in 5 to 25 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 11 to 38 ft; cold water stacks them in 11 to 38 ft. Top water on the chart: NOAA charted underwater rock, a rock pile in the 10 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a herring feather rig or a small silver 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 | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Small herring feather rig, Micro jig rig |
| Summer | 11 to 38 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Herring feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Fall | 10 to 38 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Small feather rig, Compact silver spoon |
| Winter | 11 to 38 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
Early season winter flounder use the shallows, holding in 2 to 18 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 3 to 20 ft. Put Surveyed channel edge first on the milk run — a drop-off near 18 ft that grades good for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a light scented jig worked slowly and you're in the game.
| 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 |
Structure-wise the chart holds 19 features, led in depth by NOAA charted underwater rock at roughly 23 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 Dix Island Harbor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maine fishing regulations →
Dix Island Harbor is about 38 ft (12 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 Dix Island 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 10 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic cod in spring. The interactive chart above rates every 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 Dix Island 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.
Home Harbor 2 mi · Muscle Ridge Channel 2 mi · Rackliff Bay 5 mi · Wheeler Bay 5 mi · Owls Head Bay 5 mi · Clark Cove 6 mi · Rockland Harbor 7 mi · Saint George River 7 mi · Tenants Harbor 8 mi · Hurricane Sound 10 mi · The Reach 10 mi · Carvers Harbor 12 mi
See how Dix Island 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; 85% measured, 13% 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.