Salt water depth chart
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379-acre Pipes Cove fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (82.26% measured, 99.28% assessed), source-traceable coastal structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 47 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 the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
On the chart, Pipes Cove draws 379 acres inside 5.4 miles of shoreline. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 2) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 64% of this chart. The basin spans about 1.2 mi end to end and 1 mi across at its widest. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Fresh Pond (Shelter Island), 3 mi southeast of here.
Come spring, look for striped bass tight to the bank in 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 14 to 47 ft in summer and finish the year down in 14 to 47 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Surveyed channel edge: a drop-off around 20 ft that scores good in summer. Best bite is 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 (20 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 14 to 47 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 14 to 47 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluefish in 3 to 20 ft. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 30 ft, wintering in 15 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in the 20 ft range, good in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. 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 | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 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. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 14 to 47 ft. Start at Surveyed channel edge. It's a drop-off holding about 20 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in 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 (20 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 12 to 45 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 14 to 47 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
Come spring, look for black sea bass tight to the bank in 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 12 to 47 ft in summer and finish the year down in 14 to 47 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Surveyed channel edge: a drop-off around 20 ft that scores good in summer. Best bite is 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 | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 12 to 47 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 12 to 47 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 14 to 47 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 100 ft | midday | open water | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
In spring, tautog (blackfish) run shallow here, mostly 5 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 35 ft before dropping to 14 to 47 ft for winter. Spring tautog (blackfish) concentrate at NOAA charted pier, a prime-rated dock line around 6 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. 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 pier (6 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn | NOAA charted pier (7 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 9 to 47 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 50 ft | midday | NOAA charted pier (7 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 14 to 47 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | midday | open water | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
When the water first warms, scup (porgy) slide up into 5 to 25 ft. Summer is a 6 to 35 ft game here, winter an 11 to 47 ft one. Start at NOAA charted pier. It's a dock line holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run 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 pier (6 ft) | Small hi-lo rig, Micro jig tipped with bait |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted pier (6 ft) | Hi-lo porgy rig, Micro metal jig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | midday | NOAA charted pier (7 ft) | Compact vertical jig, Hi-lo rig |
| Winter | 11 to 47 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Small slow vertical jig |
Pipes Cove 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 10 structure features on Pipes Cove; the deepest is Surveyed channel edge at about 20 ft.
Access data: New York State DEC — Boat Launches (FishNY). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New York waters are set by the New York DEC (saltwater fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Pipes Cove specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Pipes Cove is about 47 ft (14 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 Pipes Cove. 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 pier is the top-rated area: a dock line in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for scup (porgy) 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 Pipes Cove is regulated by the New York DEC (saltwater fishing). Check the official New York regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Fresh Pond (Shelter Island) 3 mi · Coecles Harbor 4 mi · Orient Harbor 5 mi · Cutchogue Harbor 8 mi · Pettys Bight 8 mi · Northwest Harbor 8 mi · Marratooka Lake 10 mi · Three Mile Harbor 11 mi · Laurel Lake 12 mi · Great Peconic Bay 12 mi · Duck Island Roads 13 mi, CT · Clinton Harbor 14 mi, CT
See how Pipes Cove stacks up: best striped bass lakes in New York · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes in New York · best winter flounder lakes in New York · best bluefish lakes in New York
Browse all New York fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 82% measured, 17% 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.