Salt water depth chart
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834-acre Katama Bay fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo shallow-water contours (99.96% measured, 100% assessed), measured pier and pile spots, seven sourced fish profiles, three forage calendars, a verified public ramp, shellfish and water-quality context, and current Massachusetts marine rules. The water tops out around 19 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. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Traced from the shoreline, Katama Bay runs 834 acres with 5.4 miles of edge. 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. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. End to end it runs roughly 2 mi, about 1 mi across. For a second option, Edgartown Harbor lies 2 mi north.
Come spring, look for striped bass tight to the bank in 5 to 19 ft. Through summer count on 6 to 19 ft; the winter hold is 6 to 19 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 topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig 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 | 5 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 6 to 19 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 | 5 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluefish in 3 to 19 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 19 ft through summer, 6 to 19 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in the 12 ft range, good 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.
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 19 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 3 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 2 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | midday | open water | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
When the water first warms, scup (porgy) slide up into 4 to 19 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 19 ft, winter 5 to 19 ft. Start at NOAA charted pier. It's a dock line holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run midday and early morning. Keep a hi-lo porgy rig or a micro metal 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 | 4 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 25 ft | dawn | NOAA charted pier (4 ft) | Small hi-lo rig, Micro jig tipped with bait |
| Summer | 3 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted pier (3 ft) | Hi-lo porgy rig, Micro metal jig |
| Fall | 4 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | midday | NOAA charted pier (4 ft) | Compact vertical jig, Hi-lo rig |
| Winter | 5 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Small slow vertical jig |
Come spring, look for summer flounder (fluke) tight to the bank in 4 to 19 ft. Through summer count on 4 to 19 ft; the winter hold is 6 to 19 ft. Start at Surveyed channel edge. It's a drop-off holding about 12 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in midday and early morning. A bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead 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 | 4 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 4 to 19 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 | 5 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 45 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
Early season winter flounder use the shallows, holding in 2 to 18 ft. Summer is a 5 to 19 ft game here, winter a 3 to 19 ft one. The chart's best answer is NOAA charted pier — dock line, 3 ft, good for spring. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a light scented jig worked slowly 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 | 2 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted pier (3 ft) | Small bucktail tipped with worm, Scented grub on a light jig |
| Summer | 5 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Light scented jig worked slowly |
| Fall | 5 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 25 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Small bucktail + worm, Scented bottom jig |
| Winter | 3 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 20 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Small bucktail tipped with worm |
Come spring, look for black sea bass tight to the bank in 5 to 19 ft. Through summer count on 5 to 19 ft; the winter hold is 6 to 19 ft. If you only fish one area, make it NOAA charted pile: a dock line around 6 ft that scores good in spring. Best bite is midday and early morning. A bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser 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 | 5 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted pile (6 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 5 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted pile (6 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 5 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 100 ft | midday | open water | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
Katama Bay also holds tautog (blackfish) (5 to 19 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
10 pieces of structure are mapped here — Surveyed channel edge, around 12 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Massachusetts public-water-access inventory (FID 238; OFBA_ID 108), 2023 saltwater guide and adopted Edgartown Master Plan. 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 Katama Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Massachusetts fishing regulations →
Katama Bay is about 19 ft (6 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, scup (porgy), summer flounder (fluke), winter flounder, black sea bass, tautog (blackfish) on Katama Bay.
NOAA charted pier is the top-rated area: a dock line in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for scup (porgy) in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Katama Bay 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.
Edgartown Harbor 2 mi · Cape Poge Bay 3 mi · Oak Bluffs Harbor 8 mi · Lagoon Pond 8 mi · Vineyard Haven Harbor 9 mi · Waquoit Bay 14 mi · Madaket Harbor 15 mi · Menemsha Pond 15 mi · Woods Hole Passage 15 mi · Menemsha Bight 15 mi · Quissett Harbor 16 mi · Squibnocket Pond 16 mi
See how Katama Bay 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; 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.