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767-acre Fire Island Inlet fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (92.61% measured, 99.72% assessed), source-traceable coastal structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 56 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Traced from the shoreline, Fire Island Inlet runs 767 acres with 7 miles of edge. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.8) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 68% of this chart. Figure 2.1 mi of water from one end to the other, 1 mi at the beam. The nearest mapped water is South Oyster Bay, 7 mi to the west.
Come spring, look for striped bass tight to the bank in 5 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 17 to 56 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 50 ft. Start at Surveyed channel edge. It's a drop-off holding about 20 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in 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 | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 17 to 56 ft | dawn & dusk | FIRE ISLAND INLET channel edge (NaN ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | FIRE ISLAND INLET channel edge (NaN ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | FIRE ISLAND INLET channel edge (NaN ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
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 15 to 40 ft for winter. The spot to know is FIRE ISLAND INLET channel edge, a channel edge in about NaN ft of water that rates fair for bluefish in spring. 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | FIRE ISLAND INLET channel edge (NaN ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | FIRE ISLAND INLET channel edge (NaN ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Shallow feeding flat (14 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | FIRE ISLAND INLET channel edge (NaN ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Come spring, look for summer flounder (fluke) tight to the bank in 5 to 25 ft. They move out to 8 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 17 to 56 ft. If you only fish one area, make it FIRE ISLAND INLET channel edge: a channel edge around NaN ft that scores fair in spring. Best bite is midday and early morning. A bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | FIRE ISLAND INLET channel edge (NaN ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | FIRE ISLAND INLET channel edge (NaN ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 12 to 45 ft | midday | FIRE ISLAND INLET channel edge (NaN ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 17 to 56 ft | midday | FIRE ISLAND INLET channel edge (NaN ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
Come spring, look for black sea bass tight to the bank in 10 to 40 ft. Expect a summer slide to 14 to 56 ft, then a winter hold in 17 to 56 ft. Start at Dangerous NOAA charted wreck. It's a wreck holding about 23 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in 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 | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (23 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 14 to 56 ft | midday & dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (23 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 14 to 56 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (23 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 17 to 56 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (23 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
In spring, tautog (blackfish) run shallow here, mostly 5 to 25 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 35 ft, and winter fish settle into 17 to 56 ft. Dangerous NOAA charted wreck is the standout, a wreck at roughly 23 ft, rated prime for spring tautog (blackfish). Time it for early morning. 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 | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (23 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (23 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (23 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 17 to 56 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (23 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
The chart marks 12 structure features on Fire Island Inlet; the deepest is Dangerous NOAA charted wreck at about 23 ft.
Access data: New York State DEC — Boat Launches (FishNY). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New York waters are set by the New York DEC (saltwater fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Fire Island Inlet specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Fire Island Inlet is about 56 ft (17 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 Fire Island Inlet.
Surveyed channel edge is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass 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 Fire Island Inlet is regulated by the New York DEC (saltwater fishing). Check the official New York regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
South Oyster Bay 7 mi · Knapps Lake 10 mi · Sloop Channel 11 mi · Merrick Bay 12 mi · Jones Inlet 14 mi · Middle Bay 15 mi · Blydenburgh Lake 15 mi · Hempstead Lake 17 mi · Lake Ronkonkoma 17 mi · Reynolds Channel 18 mi · Hewlett Bay 19 mi · Centerport Harbor 19 mi
See how Fire Island Inlet stacks up: best striped bass lakes in New York · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes in New York · best bluefish lakes in New York · best black sea bass lakes in New York
Browse all New York fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 93% measured, 7% 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.