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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 prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
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 prime 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 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 | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | 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.
| 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 | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (15 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 9 to 30 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 9 to 30 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.
| 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 | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 6 to 30 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (9 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
The chart marks 24 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) on Niantic Bay.
Surveyed channel edge is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for summer flounder (fluke) in summer. 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 bluefish lakes in Connecticut · best black sea bass lakes in Connecticut
Browse all Connecticut 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.