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315-acre Eagle Island Channel 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 60 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 rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Drawn out, this is 314 acres of water rimmed by 3.3 miles of bank. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.3) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 0% of this chart. End to end it runs roughly 1.1 mi, about 0.8 mi across. The nearest mapped water is Childrens Island Channel, 1 mi to the south.
Come spring, look for striped bass tight to the bank in 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 25 to 60 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 50 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Surveyed channel edge: a drop-off around 43 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (43 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (43 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluefish in 3 to 20 ft. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 30 ft, wintering in 15 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in the 27 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | 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 (27 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Come spring, look for black sea bass tight to the bank in 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 15 to 60 ft in summer and finish the year down in 18 to 60 ft. If you only fish one area, make it NOAA charted underwater rock: a rock pile around 10 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is midday and early morning. A bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 15 to 60 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 18 to 60 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
In spring, tautog (blackfish) run shallow here, mostly 5 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 35 ft before dropping to 18 to 60 ft for winter. Spring tautog (blackfish) concentrate at NOAA charted underwater rock, a prime-rated rock pile around 10 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 18 to 60 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
Come spring, look for atlantic mackerel tight to the bank in 5 to 45 ft. Expect a summer slide to 11 to 60 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 60 ft. Start at Surveyed channel edge. It's a drop-off holding about 43 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A feather rig or a small vertical jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (43 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 11 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (43 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 9 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (43 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (43 ft) | Small deep jig |
Early season atlantic cod use the shallows, holding in 12 to 60 ft. Even in summer they hold at 15 to 60 ft; winter keeps them in 14 to 60 ft. Put NOAA charted underwater rock first on the milk run — a rock pile near 10 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 12 to 60 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 15 to 60 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 11 to 60 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 14 to 60 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (10 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Count 5 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Surveyed channel edge, sits near 47 ft.
Access data: Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife — Public Water Access. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Massachusetts waters are set by the Massachusetts DMF (recreational saltwater) — and special regulations can apply to Eagle Island Channel specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Massachusetts fishing regulations →
Eagle Island Channel is about 60 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, black sea bass, tautog (blackfish), atlantic mackerel, atlantic cod on Eagle Island Channel.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for black sea bass 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 Eagle Island Channel is regulated by the Massachusetts DMF (recreational saltwater). Check the official Massachusetts regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Childrens Island Channel 1 mi · Salem Sound 1 mi · Marblehead Channel 2 mi · Manchester Bay 2 mi · Beverly Harbor 3 mi · Marblehead Harbor 3 mi · Manchester Harbor 3 mi · Beverly Channel 3 mi · Salem Harbor 4 mi · Chebacco Lake 6 mi · Pleasant Pond 8 mi · Gloucester Harbor 8 mi
See how Eagle Island Channel stacks up: best striped bass lakes in Massachusetts · best bluefish lakes in Massachusetts · best black sea bass lakes in Massachusetts · best tautog (blackfish) lakes in Massachusetts
Browse all Massachusetts fishing maps or 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.