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3,230-acre Little Egg Inlet fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (49.14% measured, 99.75% assessed), source-traceable coastal structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 55 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. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
The outline encloses 3,229 acres, worked by 9.6 miles of shoreline. Its 1.2 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 76% of this chart. The basin spans about 3.7 mi end to end and 2.1 mi across at its widest. Great Bay sits 5 mi northwest — the closest neighbouring chart.
In spring, striped bass run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 17 to 55 ft before dropping to 20 to 50 ft for winter. Fall striped bass concentrate at Shoreline point, a prime-rated point around 10 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (10 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 17 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (10 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
Come spring, look for bluefish tight to the bank in 3 to 20 ft. They move out to 5 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder: a gravel shoal around 29 ft that scores prime 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (15 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder (29 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Shallow feeding flat (15 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | 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 8 to 35 ft before dropping to 17 to 55 ft for winter. The spot to know is Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in about 26 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.
| 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 | 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 12 to 45 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 17 to 55 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (26 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
In spring, black sea bass run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 14 to 55 ft before dropping to 17 to 55 ft for winter. Spring black sea bass concentrate at Dangerous NOAA charted wreck, a prime-rated wreck around 15 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (15 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 14 to 55 ft | midday & dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (15 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 14 to 55 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (15 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 17 to 55 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (15 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 10 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 17 to 55 ft. Put Dangerous NOAA charted wreck first on the milk run — a wreck near 15 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (15 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (15 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (15 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 17 to 55 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (15 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
The chart marks 15 structure features on Little Egg Inlet; the deepest is NOAA BlueTopo measured channel break at about 48 ft.
Access data: New Jersey DEP Fish & Wildlife — Saltwater Fishing Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Little Egg Inlet specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Jersey fishing regulations →
Little Egg Inlet is about 55 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 Little Egg Inlet.
Shoreline point is the top-rated area: a point in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass in fall. 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 Little Egg Inlet 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.
Great Bay 5 mi · Little Egg Harbor 7 mi · Pohatcong Lake 9 mi · Mill Pond 11 mi · Lake Absegami 12 mi · Bargaintown Pond 17 mi · Great Egg Harbor Inlet 18 mi · Barnegat Bay 22 mi · Hammonton Lake 28 mi · Big Pine Lake 38 mi · Lake Pemberton 38 mi · Hereford Inlet 41 mi
See how Little Egg Inlet 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 or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 49% measured, 51% 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.