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88-acre Manchester Harbor fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (100% measured, 100% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 17 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. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Manchester Harbor maps at 88 acres behind 4.5 miles of shoreline, broken up by 9 islands. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 3.4) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. Figure 0.8 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.5 mi at the beam. If the bite dies, Manchester Bay is 1 mi to the southwest.
Spring puts striped bass in skinny water — 4 to 17 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 5 to 17 ft, and winter fish hold in 5 to 17 ft. Summer striped bass concentrate at Surveyed channel edge, a prime-rated drop-off around 9 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 | 4 to 17 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (9 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (9 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (9 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (9 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
When the water first warms, bluefish slide up into 3 to 17 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 17 ft, winter 5 to 17 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Surveyed channel edge: a drop-off around 9 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 17 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (9 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 3 to 17 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (9 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 2 to 17 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (9 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (9 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Spring puts black sea bass in skinny water — 4 to 17 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 4 to 17 ft, and winter fish hold in 5 to 17 ft. Spring black sea bass concentrate at NOAA charted underwater rock, a prime-rated rock pile around 7 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around midday and early morning. A bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 17 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 4 to 17 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 4 to 17 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
Spring tautog (blackfish) on Manchester Harbor hold shallow, usually 3 to 17 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 5 to 17 ft in summer, 5 to 17 ft once it turns cold. Put NOAA charted underwater rock first on the milk run — a rock pile near 7 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run 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 | 3 to 17 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 3 to 17 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
Start shallow in spring: atlantic mackerel sit in 2 to 17 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 3 to 17 ft covers summer, 4 to 17 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in about 9 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 | 2 to 17 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (9 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 3 to 17 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (9 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 3 to 17 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (9 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 4 to 17 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (9 ft) | Small deep jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic cod in 3 to 17 ft. The depth story barely changes: 4 to 17 ft through summer, 4 to 17 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 | 3 to 17 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 4 to 17 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 3 to 17 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 4 to 17 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (7 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
The chart marks 17 structure features on Manchester Harbor; the deepest is NOAA charted underwater rock at about 15 ft.
Access data: Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea — Harbor Management 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 Manchester Harbor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Massachusetts fishing regulations →
Manchester Harbor is about 17 ft (5 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, black sea bass, tautog (blackfish), atlantic mackerel, atlantic cod on Manchester Harbor.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 7 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 Manchester 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.
Manchester Bay 1 mi · Salem Sound 3 mi · Eagle Island Channel 3 mi · Chebacco Lake 3 mi · Childrens Island Channel 4 mi · Beverly Harbor 5 mi · Gloucester Harbor 5 mi · Marblehead Channel 5 mi · Beverly Channel 5 mi · Marblehead Harbor 6 mi · Salem Harbor 6 mi · Pleasant Pond 7 mi
See how Manchester Harbor stacks up: best striped bass lakes in Massachusetts · best bluefish lakes in Massachusetts · best black sea bass lakes in Massachusetts · best tautog (blackfish) lakes in Massachusetts
Browse all Massachusetts fishing maps or 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.