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2,702-acre Hempstead Harbor fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (90.44% measured, 99.62% 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.
The outline encloses 2,701 acres, worked by 18.4 miles of shoreline, broken up by an island. An index of 2.5 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 36% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Call it 5.3 mi long by 2.3 mi wide at the broadest reach. Manhasset Bay sits 3 mi southwest — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring puts striped bass in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 11 to 38 ft; cold water stacks them in 11 to 38 ft. Surveyed channel edge is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 18 ft, rated prime for summer striped bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 11 to 38 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 11 to 38 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
When the water first warms, bluefish slide up into 3 to 20 ft. Summer is a 5 to 30 ft game here, winter an 11 to 38 ft one. Start at Surveyed channel edge. It's a drop-off holding about 18 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 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 | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 11 to 38 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Start shallow in spring: summer flounder (fluke) sit in 5 to 25 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 11 to 38 ft. Top water on the chart: Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in the 18 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in midday and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 10 to 38 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 11 to 38 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (18 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
Spring puts black sea bass in skinny water — 10 to 38 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 10 to 38 ft, and winter fish hold in 11 to 38 ft. NOAA charted underwater rock is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 18 ft, rated prime for spring black sea bass. Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. A bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 38 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (18 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 10 to 38 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (18 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 10 to 38 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (18 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 11 to 38 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (18 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
Spring tautog (blackfish) on Hempstead Harbor hold shallow, usually 5 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 11 to 38 ft. The chart's best answer is Dangerous NOAA charted wreck — wreck, 16 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (16 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (16 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 8 to 38 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (16 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 11 to 38 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (16 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
Structure-wise the chart holds 52 features, led in depth by Surveyed channel edge at roughly 29 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 Hempstead Harbor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Hempstead 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, summer flounder (fluke), black sea bass, tautog (blackfish) on Hempstead Harbor.
Surveyed channel edge is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 18 ft of water that rates prime for summer flounder (fluke) in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Hempstead Harbor 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.
Manhasset Bay 3 mi · City Island Harbor 6 mi · Larchmont Harbor 7 mi · Echo Bay 7 mi · Eastchester Bay 7 mi · Mamaroneck Harbor 8 mi · Oakland Lake 8 mi · Port Chester Harbor 10 mi · Kissena Lake 10 mi · Hempstead Lake 11 mi · Captain Harbor 11 mi, CT · Flushing Bay 11 mi
See how Hempstead Harbor 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; 90% measured, 9% 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.