Salt water depth chart
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2,583-acre Hyannis Harbor fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (90.75% measured, 100% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 26 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 is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The drawn water covers 2,580 acres wrapped in 8.1 miles of bank. Its 1.1 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 61% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Figure 2.8 mi of water from one end to the other, 2.3 mi at the beam. Centerville Harbor sits 3 mi west — the closest neighbouring chart.
In spring, striped bass run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 26 ft before dropping to 8 to 26 ft for winter. Summer striped bass concentrate at Surveyed channel edge, a good-rated drop-off around 12 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig 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 | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 7 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
Come spring, look for bluefish tight to the bank in 3 to 20 ft. They move out to 4 to 26 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 26 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Surveyed channel edge: a drop-off around 12 ft that scores good in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips 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 | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 4 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | midday | open water | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: summer flounder (fluke) in 5 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 6 to 26 ft before dropping to 8 to 26 ft for winter. The spot to know is Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for summer flounder (fluke) in summer. Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead 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 | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 6 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 7 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 45 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
In spring, black sea bass run shallow here, mostly 7 to 26 ft. Summer keeps them at 7 to 26 ft, and they winter in 8 to 26 ft. Spring black sea bass concentrate at NOAA charted underwater rock, a prime-rated rock pile around 9 ft. Fish it in midday and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser 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 | 7 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 7 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 7 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 100 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
Early season tautog (blackfish) use the shallows, holding in 5 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 7 to 26 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 26 ft. Put Dangerous NOAA charted wreck first on the milk run — a wreck near 13 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab 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 | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (13 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 7 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (13 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 5 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 50 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (13 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (13 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
Spring puts scup (porgy) in skinny water — 5 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 26 ft; cold water stacks them in 6 to 26 ft. NOAA charted underwater rock is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 9 ft, rated prime for spring scup (porgy). Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. A hi-lo porgy rig or a micro metal jig 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 | 5 to 25 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Small hi-lo rig, Micro jig tipped with bait |
| Summer | 4 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Hi-lo porgy rig, Micro metal jig |
| Fall | 5 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Compact vertical jig, Hi-lo rig |
| Winter | 6 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 50 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Small slow vertical jig |
Hyannis Harbor also holds winter flounder (7 to 26 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 66 features, led in depth by Surveyed channel edge at roughly 21 ft.
Access data: Massachusetts public water-access inventory. 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 Hyannis Harbor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Massachusetts fishing regulations →
Hyannis Harbor is about 26 ft (8 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), scup (porgy), winter flounder on Hyannis 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 9 ft of water that rates prime for black sea 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 Hyannis Harbor 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.
Centerville Harbor 3 mi · Wequaquet Lake 4 mi · Long Pond (Yarmouth) 6 mi · Shubael Pond 6 mi · Hamblin Pond 7 mi · Middle Pond 7 mi · Mystic Lake 7 mi · Lovells Pond 8 mi · Long Pond (Barnstable) 8 mi · Santuit Pond 9 mi · Popponesset Bay 9 mi · Lawrence Pond 9 mi
See how Hyannis Harbor stacks up: best striped bass lakes in Massachusetts · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes in Massachusetts · best winter flounder lakes in Massachusetts · best bluefish lakes in Massachusetts
Browse all Massachusetts fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 91% 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.