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3,755-acre Marblehead Channel 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 111 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 the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Spring puts striped bass in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 25 to 60 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 50 ft. Surveyed channel edge is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 54 ft, rated prime for summer striped bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. 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 | open water | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (54 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (31 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Sharp break (31 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
When the water first warms, bluefish slide up into 3 to 20 ft. Summer is a 5 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 40 ft one. Start at Sharp break. It's a drop-off holding about 31 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run 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 | open water | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (31 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Sharp break (31 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Sharp break (31 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Spring puts black sea bass in skinny water — 10 to 40 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 60 ft; cold water stacks them in 40 to 100 ft. NOAA charted underwater rock is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 16 ft, rated prime for spring black sea bass. Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. A bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (16 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (16 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 20 to 80 ft | midday | Coney Island Rock (26 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 40 to 100 ft | midday | Tinkers Rock (43 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
Spring tautog (blackfish) on Marblehead Channel hold shallow, usually 5 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 30 to 70 ft. The chart's best answer is Dangerous NOAA charted wreck — wreck, 24 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in 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 | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (24 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (24 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (24 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 30 to 70 ft | midday | Volunteer Rock (31 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
Start shallow in spring: atlantic mackerel sit in 5 to 45 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 80 ft; cold water stacks them in 28 to 111 ft. Top water on the chart: Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in the 54 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. 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 | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (31 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (54 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (54 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 28 to 111 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (109 ft) | Small deep jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic cod in 20 to 100 ft. As the season builds they drop to 28 to 111 ft, wintering in 25 to 111 ft. Top water on the chart: Coney Island Rock, a rock pile in the 26 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. 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 | 20 to 100 ft | dawn | Coney Island Rock (26 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 28 to 111 ft | dawn | Volunteer Rock (31 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 20 to 111 ft | dawn | Coney Island Rock (26 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 25 to 111 ft | midday | Coney Island Rock (26 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Marblehead Channel carries 61 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Surveyed channel edge, about 109 ft down.
Access data: Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife — Public Water Access. 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 Marblehead Channel specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Massachusetts fishing regulations →
Marblehead Channel is about 111 ft (34 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 Marblehead Channel.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 16 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 Marblehead Channel 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.
Childrens Island Channel 1 mi · Marblehead Harbor 1 mi · Eagle Island Channel 2 mi · Salem Sound 3 mi · Salem Harbor 3 mi · Beverly Harbor 3 mi · Beverly Channel 3 mi · Manchester Bay 4 mi · Manchester Harbor 5 mi · Nahant Bay 6 mi · Chebacco Lake 7 mi · Sluice Pond 7 mi
See how Marblehead Channel 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.