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10,258-acre bay near Tuckerton. The water tops out around 32 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetric surveys, so measured depths remain distinct 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.
On the chart, Great Bay draws 9,934 acres inside 26.9 miles of shoreline, with 7 islands in the mix. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.9) — enough points and pockets to pattern. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. The basin spans about 6.1 mi end to end and 4.4 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Ocean County. The nearest mapped water is Little Egg Inlet, 5 mi to the southeast.
When the water first warms, striped bass slide up into 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 32 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 32 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 27 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light 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 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (4 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (27 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 | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | midday | Deep basin (27 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
When the water first warms, summer flounder (fluke) slide up into 5 to 25 ft. Summer is a 7 to 32 ft game here, winter a 10 to 32 ft one. Start at Old creek channel. It's a creek channel holding about 2 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run midday and early morning. Keep a bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead 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 | midday & dawn | Old creek channel (2 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 7 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 9 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (27 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Deep basin (27 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
Start shallow in spring: bluefish sit in 3 to 20 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 32 ft. Top water on the chart: Creek inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in the 4 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips 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 | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (4 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (4 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Creek inflow (4 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (27 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Spring puts white perch in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 32 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 32 ft. Creek inflow is the standout, an inflow / creek mouth at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring white perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A small spinner rig drifted or a 1/8 oz jigging spoon 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 | 4 to 15 ft | dusk | Creek inflow (4 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Summer | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (27 ft) | Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (27 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait |
| Winter | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | dusk | Deep basin (27 ft) | Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes |
When the water first warms, black sea bass slide up into 8 to 32 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 8 to 32 ft, winter 10 to 32 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 27 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in midday and early morning. Keep a bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser 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 | 8 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 8 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 8 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | midday | Deep basin (27 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 100 ft | midday | Deep basin (27 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
In spring, weakfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 32 ft. Shallow feeding flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 20 ft, rated prime for spring weakfish. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a 3–5 inch paddletail or a light bucktail 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 | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Small bucktail + strip, 3-inch paddletail |
| Summer | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (27 ft) | 3-5 inch paddletail, Light bucktail |
| Fall | 5 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Bucktail + soft-plastic trailer, Small paddletail |
| Winter | 10 to 32 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Deep basin (27 ft) | Small jig worked slowly near bottom |
Count 10 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 27 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New Jersey waters are set by the New Jersey Fish & Wildlife (marine) — and special regulations can apply to Great Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Jersey fishing regulations →
Great Bay is about 32 ft (10 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetric surveys, so measured depths remain distinct from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target striped bass, summer flounder (fluke), bluefish, white perch, black sea bass, weakfish on Great Bay.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 27 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass in summer. 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 Great Bay is regulated by the New Jersey Fish & Wildlife (marine). Check the official New Jersey regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Little Egg Inlet 5 mi · Pohatcong Lake 6 mi · Mill Pond 7 mi · Little Egg Harbor 7 mi · Lake Absegami 8 mi · Bargaintown Pond 15 mi · Great Egg Harbor Inlet 17 mi · Barnegat Bay 21 mi · Hammonton Lake 23 mi · Big Pine Lake 34 mi · Lake Pemberton 34 mi · Grenloch Lake 41 mi
See how Great Bay stacks up: best striped bass lakes in New Jersey · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes in New Jersey · best bluefish lakes in New Jersey · best black sea bass lakes in New Jersey
Browse all New Jersey fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (ENC soundings, MLLW datum). 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.