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1,088-acre Reynolds Channel fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (79.69% measured, 96.18% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 67 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. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
The drawn water covers 1,088 acres wrapped in 20.1 miles of bank, with 3 islands in the mix. The 4.3 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 56% of this chart. The basin spans about 7.2 mi end to end and 0.7 mi across at its widest. If the bite dies, Hewlett Bay is 2 mi to the northwest.
Spring puts striped bass in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 25 to 60 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 50 ft. Surveyed channel edge is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 41 ft, rated prime for summer striped bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (41 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (41 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
When the water first warms, bluefish slide up into 3 to 20 ft. Summer is a 5 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 40 ft one. Start at Surveyed channel edge. It's a drop-off holding about 12 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (13 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Shallow feeding flat (13 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (21 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Start shallow in spring: summer flounder (fluke) sit in 5 to 25 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 60 ft. Top water on the chart: Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in the 12 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in midday and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 12 to 45 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (12 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (41 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
Spring puts black sea bass in skinny water — 10 to 40 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 60 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 67 ft. Dangerous NOAA charted wreck is the standout, a wreck at roughly 10 ft, rated prime for spring black sea bass. Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. A bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (28 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 17 to 67 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (28 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 20 to 67 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (28 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
Spring tautog (blackfish) on Reynolds Channel hold shallow, usually 5 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 67 ft. The chart's best answer is Dangerous NOAA charted wreck — wreck, 10 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 20 to 67 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (28 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
The chart marks 18 structure features on Reynolds Channel; the deepest is Surveyed channel edge at about 41 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 Reynolds Channel specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Reynolds Channel is about 67 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 Reynolds Channel.
Surveyed channel edge is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for summer flounder (fluke) in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Reynolds 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.
Hewlett Bay 2 mi · Middle Bay 3 mi · Jones Inlet 4 mi · East Rockaway Inlet 5 mi · Hempstead Lake 6 mi · Merrick Bay 6 mi · Sloop Channel 7 mi · Grass Hassock Channel 7 mi · Winhole Channel 8 mi · East Broad Channel 8 mi · Grassy Bay 9 mi · Beach Channel 9 mi
See how Reynolds 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; 80% measured, 16% 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.