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5,020-acre Muscle Ridge Channel fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (99.69% measured, 99.96% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 184 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 rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: striped bass in 5 to 20 ft. As the season builds they drop to 25 to 60 ft, wintering in 20 to 50 ft. Top water on the chart: Sharp break, a drop-off in the 35 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) gets it done.
| 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 | Sharp break (35 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (35 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Sharp break (35 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
Spring bluefish on Muscle Ridge Channel hold shallow, usually 3 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 35 ft, good for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips.
| 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 (35 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | open water | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Sharp break (35 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
In spring, atlantic mackerel run shallow here, mostly 5 to 45 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 15 to 80 ft, and winter fish settle into 30 to 120 ft. Sharp break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 35 ft, rated prime for summer atlantic mackerel. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a feather rig or a small vertical jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (35 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (35 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (35 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (117 ft) | Small deep jig |
In spring, atlantic cod run shallow here, mostly 20 to 100 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 45 to 180 ft before dropping to 42 to 184 ft for winter. Spring atlantic cod concentrate at NOAA charted underwater rock, a prime-rated rock pile around 27 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 20 to 100 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (27 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 45 to 180 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (44 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 25 to 140 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (27 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 42 to 184 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (44 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Early season atlantic herring use the shallows, holding in 5 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 50 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 60 ft. Put Sharp break first on the milk run — a drop-off near 35 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a herring feather rig or a small silver jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (18 ft) | Small herring feather rig, Micro jig rig |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (35 ft) | Herring feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Fall | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (35 ft) | Small feather rig, Compact silver spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Sharp break (35 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
Structure-wise the chart holds 23 features, led in depth by Surveyed channel edge at roughly 149 ft.
Access data: Maine GeoLibrary — Boat Launches (Maine IF&W / DACF). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Maine waters are set by the Maine DMR (saltwater recreational fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Muscle Ridge Channel specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maine fishing regulations →
Muscle Ridge Channel is about 184 ft (56 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 Muscle Ridge Channel.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 27 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic cod 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 Muscle Ridge Channel is regulated by the Maine DMR (saltwater recreational fishing). Check the official Maine regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Home Harbor 1 mi · Dix Island Harbor 2 mi · Rackliff Bay 2 mi · Wheeler Bay 3 mi · Clark Cove 4 mi · Saint George River 5 mi · Tenants Harbor 6 mi · Owls Head Bay 6 mi · Rockland Harbor 7 mi · South Pond 11 mi · Hurricane Sound 12 mi · The Reach 12 mi
See how Muscle Ridge Channel stacks up: best striped bass lakes in Maine · best bluefish lakes in Maine · best atlantic herring lakes in Maine · best atlantic mackerel lakes in Maine
Browse all Maine 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.