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211-acre Little Harbor fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (98.38% measured, 100% assessed), source-traceable coastal structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 27 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 drawn water covers 210 acres wrapped in 3.6 miles of bank, with 2 islands in the mix. A middling shoreline index (1.8) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. Roughly 90% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 1 mi, about 0.6 mi across. Its nearest charted neighbour, Portsmouth Harbor, is 1 mi to the north.
Spring puts striped bass in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 27 ft, wintering in 8 to 27 ft. Summer striped bass concentrate at Surveyed channel edge, a prime-rated drop-off around 13 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. 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 | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder (15 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 8 to 27 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (13 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 27 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (13 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (13 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
When the water first warms, bluefish slide up into 3 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 27 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 27 ft. If you only fish one area, make it NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder: a gravel shoal around 15 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder (15 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 27 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder (15 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder (15 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (13 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Start shallow in spring: atlantic mackerel sit in 3 to 27 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 5 to 27 ft covers summer, 7 to 27 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic mackerel in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a feather rig or a small vertical jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 27 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder (15 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 5 to 27 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (13 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 4 to 27 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (13 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 7 to 27 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (13 ft) | Small deep jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic cod in 5 to 27 ft. The depth story barely changes: 7 to 27 ft through summer, 6 to 27 ft in winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted underwater rock, a rock pile in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic cod in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 27 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 7 to 27 ft | dawn | NOAA charted rock bottom (8 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 5 to 27 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 6 to 27 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock bottom (6 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Come spring, look for atlantic herring tight to the bank in 5 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 27 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 27 ft. Start at Surveyed channel edge. It's a drop-off holding about 13 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A herring feather rig or a small silver jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | Small herring feather rig, Micro jig rig |
| Summer | 8 to 27 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (13 ft) | Herring feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Fall | 7 to 27 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (13 ft) | Small feather rig, Compact silver spoon |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (13 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
Count 36 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, NOAA BlueTopo measured inlet-channel depth, sits near 26 ft.
Access data: City of Portsmouth — Peirce Island. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New Hampshire waters are set by the New Hampshire Fish and Game — and special regulations can apply to Little Harbor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Hampshire fishing regulations →
Little Harbor is about 27 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, atlantic mackerel, atlantic cod, atlantic herring on Little Harbor.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic cod in spring. 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 Little Harbor is regulated by the New Hampshire Fish and Game. Check the official New Hampshire regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Portsmouth Harbor 1 mi, NH/ME · Piscataqua River 2 mi · EEL POND 5 mi · Gosport Harbor 8 mi, ME · Bellamy River 10 mi · Squamscott River 10 mi · Cape Neddick Harbor 11 mi, ME · EXETER RESERVOIR 12 mi · Hampton Harbor 12 mi · BARBADOES POND 14 mi · Willand Pond 15 mi · Bellamy Reservoir 15 mi
Browse all New Hampshire fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 98% measured, 2% 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.