Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
5,852-acre Plymouth Bay fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (72.5% measured, 99.63% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 66 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. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The outline encloses 5,846 acres, worked by 13.4 miles of shoreline. Nearly circular (index 1.3), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 22% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Figure 4.7 mi of water from one end to the other, 3.7 mi at the beam. If the bite dies, Warren Cove is 1 mi to the south.
In spring, striped bass run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 25 to 60 ft before dropping to 20 to 50 ft for winter. Summer striped bass concentrate at Surveyed channel edge, a prime-rated drop-off around 25 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (5 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (25 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (17 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (25 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
Come spring, look for bluefish tight to the bank in 3 to 20 ft. They move out to 5 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Surveyed channel edge: a drop-off around 25 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (5 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (25 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Shallow feeding flat (5 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (25 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: summer flounder (fluke) in 5 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 35 ft before dropping to 20 to 60 ft for winter. The spot to know is Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in about 25 ft of water that rates prime for summer flounder (fluke) in summer. Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (25 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (25 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 12 to 45 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (25 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Deepest basin (65 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
In spring, black sea bass run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 60 ft before dropping to 20 to 66 ft for winter. Spring black sea bass concentrate at NOAA charted underwater rock, a prime-rated rock pile around 13 ft. Fish it in midday and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (13 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (14 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 17 to 66 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (32 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 20 to 66 ft | midday | Deepest basin (65 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
Early season tautog (blackfish) use the shallows, holding in 5 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 66 ft. Put NOAA charted underwater rock first on the milk run — a rock pile near 13 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (13 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (32 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (32 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 20 to 66 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (32 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
The chart marks 19 structure features on Plymouth Bay; the deepest is Deepest basin at about 65 ft.
Access data: Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife — Public Water Access. 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 Plymouth Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Massachusetts fishing regulations →
Plymouth Bay is about 66 ft (20 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 Plymouth Bay.
Surveyed channel edge is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 25 ft of water that rates prime for summer flounder (fluke) in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Plymouth Bay 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.
Warren Cove 1 mi · Plymouth Harbor 2 mi · Little Pond 4 mi · Duxbury Bay 4 mi · Billington Sea 4 mi · Fresh Pond 5 mi · Little Long Pond 7 mi · Curlew Pond 7 mi · Long Pond (Plymouth) 7 mi · Long Pond (Plymouth) 7 mi · Halfway Pond 8 mi · Fearing Pond 10 mi
See how Plymouth Bay stacks up: best striped bass lakes in Massachusetts · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes in Massachusetts · best bluefish lakes in Massachusetts · best black sea bass lakes in Massachusetts
Browse all Massachusetts fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 73% measured, 27% 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.