Salt water depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
1,642-acre salt pond near Charlestown. The water tops out around 7 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetric surveys, so measured depths remain distinct from source interpolation. The channels, holes and drop-offs come from the source data, not a distance-from-shore model. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The outline encloses 1,594 acres, worked by 26.8 miles of shoreline, with 12 islands in the mix. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 4.8) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. The basin spans about 3.9 mi end to end and 1.8 mi across at its widest. It sits in Washington County. If the bite dies, Watchaug Pond is 2 mi to the northwest.
Start shallow in spring: striped bass sit in 2 to 7 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 7 ft covers summer, 2 to 7 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 7 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
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 7 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (7 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | midday | Deep basin (7 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
Early season bluefish use the shallows, holding in 1 to 7 ft. Even in summer they hold at 1 to 7 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 7 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 5 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips 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 | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (5 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (7 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Spring puts summer flounder (fluke) in skinny water — 1 to 7 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 7 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 7 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 5 ft, rated prime for summer summer flounder (fluke). Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. A bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead covers the summer program.
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 | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Deep basin (7 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
When the water first warms, tautog (blackfish) slide up into 1 to 7 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 7 ft, winter 2 to 7 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Dock / pier line: a dock line around 2 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab 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 | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Marina / dock area (1 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn | Dock / pier line (2 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 50 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | midday | Deep basin (7 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: winter flounder in 1 to 7 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 7 ft through summer, 1 to 7 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 7 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a light scented jig worked slowly 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 | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | Small bucktail tipped with worm, Scented grub on a light jig |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (7 ft) | Light scented jig worked slowly |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 25 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Small bucktail + worm, Scented bottom jig |
| Winter | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (7 ft) | Small bucktail tipped with worm |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: scup (porgy) in 1 to 7 ft. The depth story barely changes: 1 to 7 ft through summer, 2 to 7 ft in winter. The spot to know is Marina / dock area, a dock line in about 1 ft of water that rates prime for scup (porgy) in summer. Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a hi-lo porgy rig or a micro metal jig 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 | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 25 ft | dawn | Marina / dock area (1 ft) | Small hi-lo rig, Micro jig tipped with bait |
| Summer | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Marina / dock area (1 ft) | Hi-lo porgy rig, Micro metal jig |
| Fall | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Compact vertical jig, Hi-lo rig |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 50 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Small slow vertical jig |
Ninigret Pond carries 8 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 7 ft down.
Access data: Rhode Island DEM — Fishing and Boating Access. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Rhode Island waters are set by the Rhode Island DEM Marine Fisheries — and special regulations can apply to Ninigret Pond specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Rhode Island fishing regulations →
Ninigret Pond is about 7 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetric surveys, so measured depths remain distinct from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target striped bass, bluefish, summer flounder (fluke), tautog (blackfish), winter flounder, scup (porgy) on Ninigret Pond.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass 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 Ninigret Pond is regulated by the Rhode Island DEM Marine Fisheries. Check the official Rhode Island regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Watchaug Pond 2 mi · School House Pond 3 mi · Chapman Pond 7 mi · Worden Pond 7 mi · Point Judith Harbor of Refuge 8 mi · Point Judith Pond 8 mi · Pawcatuck River 9 mi, RI/CT · Wood River 10 mi · Barber Pond 11 mi · Yawgoo Pond 11 mi · Yawgoog Pond 13 mi · Indian Lake 13 mi
See how Ninigret Pond stacks up: best striped bass lakes in Rhode Island · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes in Rhode Island · best bluefish lakes in Rhode Island · best scup (porgy) lakes in Rhode Island
More water nearby: Washington County fishing maps (11 charts). Browse all Rhode Island fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (ENC soundings, MLLW datum). 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.