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975-acre Niantic Bay fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (99.93% measured, 99.93% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 30 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 follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Drawn out, this is 973 acres of water rimmed by 6.2 miles of bank, with 5 islands in the mix. At index 1.4 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. About 40% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Figure 1.8 mi of water from one end to the other, 1.2 mi at the beam. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Dodge Pond, 1 mi northwest of here.
Come spring, look for striped bass tight to the bank in 5 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 9 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 9 to 30 ft. Start at Surveyed channel edge. It's a drop-off holding about 15 ft of water and rates good come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig is the honest summer answer here.
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 | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluefish in 3 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 30 ft before dropping to 9 to 30 ft for winter. The spot to know is Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in about 15 ft of water that rates good for bluefish in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips 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 | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | midday | open water | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Come spring, look for summer flounder (fluke) tight to the bank in 5 to 25 ft. They move out to 7 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 9 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Surveyed channel edge: a drop-off around 15 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is midday and early morning. A bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead is the honest summer answer here.
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 25 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 7 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 45 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
Come spring, look for black sea bass tight to the bank in 8 to 30 ft. Through summer count on 8 to 30 ft; the winter hold is 9 to 30 ft. Start at NOAA charted underwater rock. It's a rock pile holding about 9 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in midday and early morning. A bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser is the honest summer answer here.
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 | 8 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 100 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
In spring, tautog (blackfish) run shallow here, mostly 5 to 25 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 9 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 30 ft. NOAA charted underwater rock is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 9 ft, rated prime for spring tautog (blackfish). Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab most summer days.
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 25 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 6 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 50 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
When the water first warms, scup (porgy) slide up into 5 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 7 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it NOAA charted underwater rock: a rock pile around 9 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in midday and early morning. Keep a hi-lo porgy rig or a micro metal jig 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 25 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Small hi-lo rig, Micro jig tipped with bait |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Hi-lo porgy rig, Micro metal jig |
| Fall | 6 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Compact vertical jig, Hi-lo rig |
| Winter | 7 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 50 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Small slow vertical jig |
Niantic Bay also holds winter flounder (8 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 23 structure features on Niantic Bay; the deepest is Shallow feeding flat at about 20 ft.
Access data: Connecticut DEEP — State Boat Launches. 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 (marine fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Niantic Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Connecticut fishing regulations →
Niantic Bay is about 30 ft (9 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, summer flounder (fluke), black sea bass, tautog (blackfish), scup (porgy), winter flounder on Niantic Bay. The list combines the water's survey records with habitat-filtered species from broader official evidence; those additions are plausible occurrences, not exact-water abundance or guaranteed catches.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 9 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 Niantic Bay is regulated by the Connecticut DEEP (marine fishing). Check the official Connecticut regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Dodge Pond 1 mi · Gorton Pond 2 mi · Twotree Island Channel 3 mi · Pataganset Lake 5 mi · New London Harbor 6 mi · Powers Lake 6 mi · Rogers Lake 6 mi · Thames River 7 mi · Norwich Pond 8 mi · Uncas Lake 8 mi · Hamburg Cove 10 mi · Horse Pond 11 mi
See how Niantic Bay stacks up: best striped bass lakes in Connecticut · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes in Connecticut · best winter flounder lakes in Connecticut · best bluefish lakes in Connecticut
Browse all Connecticut fishing maps. 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.