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155-acre Rikers Island Channel fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (100% measured, 100% assessed), source-traceable coastal structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 46 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 drawn water covers 155 acres wrapped in 2.9 miles of bank. With a 1.7 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. 1% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 1.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.4 mi at the beam. Its nearest charted neighbour, Flushing Bay, is 2 mi to the southeast.
Start shallow in spring: striped bass sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 14 to 46 ft; cold water stacks them in 14 to 46 ft. Top water on the chart: Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in the 36 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (11 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 14 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (36 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (11 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 14 to 46 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (36 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
Early season bluefish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 20 ft. Summer is a 5 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Surveyed channel edge — drop-off, 11 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (11 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (11 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (11 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (36 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Spring puts summer flounder (fluke) in skinny water — 5 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 14 to 46 ft. Surveyed channel edge is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 11 ft, rated prime for summer summer flounder (fluke). Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. A bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (11 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (11 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 12 to 45 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (36 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 14 to 46 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (36 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
Start shallow in spring: black sea bass sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 12 to 46 ft; cold water stacks them in 14 to 46 ft. Top water on the chart: NOAA charted rock, a hard bottom in the 29 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in midday and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted rock (29 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 12 to 46 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted rock (29 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 12 to 46 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock (29 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 14 to 46 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock (29 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
When the water first warms, tautog (blackfish) slide up into 5 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 14 to 46 ft. If you only fish one area, make it NOAA charted rock: a hard bottom around 29 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted rock (29 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn | NOAA charted rock (29 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 9 to 46 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock (29 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 14 to 46 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock (29 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
Structure-wise the chart holds 8 features, led in depth by South Brother Island channel edge at roughly 43 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 Rikers Island Channel specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Rikers Island Channel is about 46 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) on Rikers Island Channel.
Surveyed channel edge is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for summer flounder (fluke) in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each 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 Rikers Island 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.
Flushing Bay 2 mi · Harlem River 4 mi, NY/NJ · Kissena Lake 5 mi · Eastchester Bay 6 mi · Oakland Lake 7 mi · City Island Harbor 7 mi · Manhasset Bay 9 mi · Green Brook Pond 10 mi, NJ · Buttermilk Channel 10 mi · Prospect Park Lake 10 mi · Echo Bay 11 mi · Red Hook Channel 11 mi
See how Rikers Island 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; 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.