Salt water depth chart
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32-acre Oak Bluffs Harbor fishing map with fully measured NOAA BlueTopo contours, measured pier, federal-channel and depth-transition spots, seven source-bounded fish profiles, three forage calendars, public pier and marina access, exact water-quality context and current Massachusetts rules. The water tops out around 15 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The outline encloses 32 acres, worked by 1.1 miles of shoreline. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.4) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. Call it 0.3 mi long by 0.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. Its nearest charted neighbour, Vineyard Haven Harbor, is 1 mi to the west.
Spring puts striped bass in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 5 to 15 ft, and winter fish hold in 5 to 15 ft. Summer striped bass concentrate at Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge, a prime-rated channel edge around 11 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig 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 | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | midday | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
When the water first warms, bluefish slide up into 2 to 15 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 15 ft, winter 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge: a channel edge around 11 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips 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 | 2 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (3 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | midday | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
In spring, scup (porgy) run shallow here, mostly 3 to 15 ft. Summer keeps them at 3 to 15 ft, and they winter in 4 to 15 ft. NOAA charted pier is the standout, a dock line at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for summer scup (porgy). Time it for midday and early morning. You won't need more than a hi-lo porgy rig or a micro metal jig 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 | 3 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 25 ft | dawn | NOAA charted pier (3 ft) | Small hi-lo rig, Micro jig tipped with bait |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted pier (3 ft) | Hi-lo porgy rig, Micro metal jig |
| Fall | 3 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | midday | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Compact vertical jig, Hi-lo rig |
| Winter | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 50 ft | midday | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Small slow vertical jig |
Start shallow in spring: summer flounder (fluke) sit in 3 to 15 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 3 to 15 ft covers summer, 5 to 15 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge, a channel edge in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for summer flounder (fluke) in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around midday and early morning. Throw a bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead 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 | 3 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 45 ft | midday | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
Spring puts winter flounder in skinny water — 2 to 15 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 15 ft. Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge is the standout, a channel edge at roughly 11 ft, rated prime for spring winter flounder. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A light scented jig worked slowly 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 | 2 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Small bucktail tipped with worm, Scented grub on a light jig |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Light scented jig worked slowly |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 25 ft | midday | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Small bucktail + worm, Scented bottom jig |
| Winter | 2 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 20 ft | midday | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Small bucktail tipped with worm |
Spring puts black sea bass in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish hold in 5 to 15 ft. Summer black sea bass concentrate at Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge, a prime-rated channel edge around 11 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around midday and early morning. A bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser 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 | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | midday | Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge (11 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 100 ft | midday | open water | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
Oak Bluffs Harbor also holds tautog (blackfish) (4 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Oak Bluffs Harbor carries 8 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at NOAA charted pier, about 12 ft down.
Access data: Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries - Oak Bluffs Fishing Pier and 2014 DMF News public-access description. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Massachusetts waters are set by the Massachusetts DMF (recreational saltwater) — and special regulations can apply to Oak Bluffs Harbor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Massachusetts fishing regulations →
Oak Bluffs Harbor is about 15 ft (5 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, scup (porgy), summer flounder (fluke), winter flounder, black sea bass, tautog (blackfish) on Oak Bluffs Harbor.
Oak Bluffs Harbor channel edge is the top-rated area: a channel edge in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for summer flounder (fluke) in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Oak Bluffs Harbor is regulated by the Massachusetts DMF (recreational saltwater). Check the official Massachusetts regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Vineyard Haven Harbor 1 mi · Lagoon Pond 2 mi · Edgartown Harbor 7 mi · Cape Poge Bay 7 mi · Waquoit Bay 7 mi · Woods Hole Passage 8 mi · Quissett Harbor 8 mi · Katama Bay 8 mi · Popponesset Bay 10 mi · Coonamessett Pond 11 mi · Johns Pond 12 mi · Ashumet Pond 12 mi
See how Oak Bluffs Harbor stacks up: best striped bass lakes in Massachusetts · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes in Massachusetts · best winter flounder lakes in Massachusetts · best bluefish lakes in Massachusetts
Browse all Massachusetts 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.