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1,753-acre Rockaway Inlet fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (91.35% measured, 100% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 60 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The drawn water covers 1,752 acres wrapped in 12.3 miles of bank — 5 islands included. With a 2.1 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. 29% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 4.7 mi, about 1.4 mi across. If the bite dies, Sheepshead Bay is 2 mi to the north.
Start shallow in spring: striped bass sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 25 to 60 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 50 ft. The spot to know is Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in about 31 ft of water that rates good for striped bass in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig 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 (21 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
Early season bluefish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 5 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 40 ft. Put Surveyed channel edge first on the milk run — a drop-off near 21 ft that grades good for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 (21 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (21 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (21 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | open water | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Spring puts summer flounder (fluke) in skinny water — 5 to 25 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 35 ft, wintering in 20 to 60 ft. Summer summer flounder (fluke) concentrate at Surveyed channel edge, a prime-rated drop-off around 31 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around midday and early morning. 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 (21 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 12 to 45 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
Start shallow in spring: black sea bass sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 15 to 60 ft, and winter fish settle into 18 to 60 ft. The spot to know is Dangerous NOAA charted wreck, a wreck in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for black sea bass in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around midday and early morning. Throw a bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser until the fish tell you otherwise.
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 | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 15 to 60 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 18 to 60 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 100 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
When the water first warms, tautog (blackfish) slide up into 5 to 25 ft. Summer is a 10 to 35 ft game here, winter an 18 to 60 ft one. Start at Dangerous NOAA charted wreck. It's a wreck holding about 15 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab 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 | midday & dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (15 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 18 to 60 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: scup (porgy) in 5 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 35 ft, wintering in 12 to 50 ft. Top water on the chart: NOAA charted underwater rock, a rock pile in the 4 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for midday and early morning. Summer baits: a hi-lo porgy rig or a micro metal jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (4 ft) | Small hi-lo rig, Micro jig tipped with bait |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (4 ft) | Hi-lo porgy rig, Micro metal jig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (4 ft) | Compact vertical jig, Hi-lo rig |
| Winter | 12 to 50 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (30 ft) | Small slow vertical jig |
Rockaway Inlet also holds winter flounder (8 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 18 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Dangerous NOAA charted wreck, sits near 42 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 Rockaway Inlet specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Rockaway Inlet is about 60 ft (18 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 Rockaway Inlet. 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.
Dangerous NOAA charted wreck is the top-rated area: a wreck in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for tautog (blackfish) in spring. 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 Rockaway Inlet 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.
Sheepshead Bay 2 mi · Coney Island Channel 3 mi · Island Channel 4 mi · Gravesend Bay 5 mi · Lower Bay 6 mi · Beach Channel 6 mi · Prospect Park Lake 7 mi · False Hook Channel 7 mi · East Broad Channel 7 mi · Winhole Channel 8 mi · Bay Ridge Channel 8 mi · Grassy Bay 9 mi
See how Rockaway Inlet 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; 91% measured, 9% 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.