Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeRiver depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
139 km of the Mystic River navigation corridor, with channel depths from USACE hydrographic survey. The river tops out around 20 ft. The depth chart comes from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Mystic River - Reach 1 of 2 maps at 473 acres behind 6.6 miles of shoreline. The 2.2 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. 94% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 3 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.4 mi at the beam. If the bite dies, Mystic Harbor is 2 mi to the south.
Early season smallmouth bass use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 20 ft. Put Riffle & run (mile 1.8) first on the milk run — a rock pile near 13 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 1.8) (13 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 1.8) (13 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 1.8) (13 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Riffle & run (mile 1.8) (13 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
When the water first warms, rainbow trout slide up into 5 to 20 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 5 to 20 ft, winter 4 to 20 ft. Start at Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2). It's a creek channel holding about 14 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 1.8) (13 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (14 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 1.8) (13 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 4 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (14 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brown trout in 2 to 20 ft. The depth story barely changes: 6 to 20 ft through summer, 3 to 20 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Riffle & run (mile 1.8), a rock pile in the 13 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for after dark and early morning. Summer baits: a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 1.8) (13 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 1.8) (13 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 3 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 1.8) (13 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn | open water | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Early season crappie use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 20 ft. Put Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) first on the milk run — a creek channel near 14 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | open water | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (14 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (14 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
In spring, pumpkinseed run shallow here, mostly 1 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 10 ft before dropping to 6 to 18 ft for winter. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | open water | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | open water | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Spring puts chain pickerel in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 15 ft, wintering in 5 to 18 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | open water | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Mystic River - Reach 1 of 2 also holds largemouth bass (8 to 20 ft in summer), yellow perch (6 to 20 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), white perch (6 to 20 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
2 pieces of structure are mapped here — Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2), around 14 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Reviewed Connecticut DEEP state and municipal coastal-access sources. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Connecticut waters are set by the Connecticut DEEP — and special regulations can apply to Mystic River - Reach 1 of 2 specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Connecticut fishing regulations →
Mystic River - Reach 1 of 2 is about 20 ft (6 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, brown trout, crappie, pumpkinseed, chain pickerel, largemouth bass, yellow perch, brown bullhead, bluegill, white perch on Mystic River - Reach 1 of 2. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Riffle & run (mile 1.8) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For smallmouth 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 Mystic River - Reach 1 of 2 is regulated by the Connecticut DEEP. Check the official Connecticut regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Mystic Harbor 2 mi, CT · Stonington Harbor 3 mi, CT · Fishers Island Sound 5 mi, CT · Long Pond 5 mi, CT · Lantern Hill Pond 6 mi, CT · Pawcatuck River 7 mi, RI/CT · New London Harbor 7 mi, CT · Thames River 7 mi, CT · Lake Of Isles 8 mi, CT · Avery Pond 9 mi, CT · Chapman Pond 9 mi, RI · Wyassup Lake 10 mi, CT
See how Mystic River - Reach 1 of 2 stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Connecticut · best smallmouth bass lakes in Connecticut · best crappie lakes in Connecticut · best bluegill lakes in Connecticut
Browse all Connecticut fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 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.