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125-acre Red Hook Channel fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (98.94% measured, 98.94% assessed), source-traceable coastal structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 53 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.
Traced from the shoreline, Red Hook Channel runs 125 acres with 2.1 miles of edge. At index 1.3 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 0% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.8 mi with a 0.4-mi widest point. For a second option, Buttermilk Channel lies 1 mi north.
Spring striped bass on Red Hook Channel hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 16 to 53 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 50 ft. The chart's best answer is Surveyed channel edge — drop-off, 40 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 16 to 53 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (40 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (36 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (40 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
Spring puts bluefish in skinny water — 3 to 20 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 40 ft. BAY RIDGE AND RED HOOK CHANNELS channel edge is the standout, a channel edge at roughly 32 ft, rated good for summer bluefish. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | BAY RIDGE AND RED HOOK CHANNELS channel edge (32 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | open water | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (40 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Early season summer flounder (fluke) use the shallows, holding in 5 to 25 ft. Summer is an 8 to 35 ft game here, winter a 16 to 53 ft one. The chart's best answer is Surveyed channel edge — drop-off, 40 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is midday and early morning. Tie on a bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | BAY RIDGE AND RED HOOK CHANNELS channel edge (32 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | BAY RIDGE AND RED HOOK CHANNELS channel edge (32 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 12 to 45 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (40 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 16 to 53 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (40 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
Spring black sea bass on Red Hook Channel hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 13 to 53 ft, and by winter most fish are in 16 to 53 ft. The chart's best answer is Surveyed channel edge — drop-off, 40 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in midday and early morning. The summer box starts with a bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (40 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 13 to 53 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (40 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 13 to 53 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (40 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 16 to 53 ft | midday | open water | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: tautog (blackfish) in 5 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 35 ft, wintering in 16 to 53 ft. Top water on the chart: Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in the 40 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted wharf (4 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn | NOAA charted wharf (4 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (40 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 16 to 53 ft | midday | open water | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
Count 9 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, BAY RIDGE AND RED HOOK CHANNELS channel edge, sits near 46 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 Red Hook Channel specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Red Hook Channel is about 53 ft (16 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 Red Hook Channel.
Surveyed channel edge is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 40 ft of water that rates prime for summer flounder (fluke) in fall. 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 Red Hook Channel 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.
Buttermilk Channel 1 mi · Bay Ridge Channel 2 mi · Pierhead Channel 2 mi · Prospect Park Lake 3 mi · Gravesend Bay 5 mi · Coney Island Channel 7 mi · Sheepshead Bay 7 mi · Rockaway Inlet 9 mi · Island Channel 9 mi · Weequahic Lake 10 mi, NJ · Lower Bay 10 mi · Rikers Island Channel 11 mi
See how Red Hook Channel stacks up: best striped bass lakes in New York · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes in New York · best bluefish lakes in New York · best black sea bass lakes in New York
Browse all New York fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 99% 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.