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1,894-acre Rockland Harbor fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (98.98% 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.
Rockland Harbor maps at 1,892 acres behind 12.5 miles of shoreline, with 3 islands in the mix. A middling shoreline index (2.1) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. About 31% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 2.9 mi, about 1.7 mi across. If the bite dies, Owls Head Bay is 3 mi to the southeast.
Spring puts striped bass in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 25 to 60 ft, wintering in 20 to 50 ft. Summer striped bass concentrate at Surveyed channel edge, a good-rated drop-off around 53 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (16 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (53 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (16 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (41 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
When the water first warms, bluefish slide up into 3 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Surveyed channel edge: a drop-off around 16 ft that scores good in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 | Surveyed channel edge (16 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (16 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (16 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | open water | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Start shallow in spring: atlantic mackerel sit in 5 to 45 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 11 to 60 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 60 ft. The spot to know is Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in about 53 ft of water that rates good for atlantic mackerel in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a feather rig or a small vertical jig 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 | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (41 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 11 to 60 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (53 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 9 to 60 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (53 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 120 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (53 ft) | Small deep jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic cod in 12 to 60 ft. The depth story barely changes: 15 to 60 ft through summer, 14 to 60 ft in winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted underwater rock, a rock pile in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic cod in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig gets it done.
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 | 12 to 60 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 100 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (14 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 15 to 60 ft chart-limited; documented 45 to 180 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (15 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 11 to 60 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 140 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (14 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 14 to 60 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 220 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (14 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Come spring, look for atlantic herring tight to the bank in 5 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 50 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 60 ft. Start at NOAA charted underwater rock. It's a rock pile holding about 14 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A herring feather rig or a small silver jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (14 ft) | Small herring feather rig, Micro jig rig |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (41 ft) | Herring feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Fall | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (16 ft) | Small feather rig, Compact silver spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (53 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
Spring puts winter flounder in skinny water — 2 to 18 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 3 to 20 ft. Surveyed channel edge is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 16 ft, rated good for spring winter flounder. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A light scented jig worked slowly covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (16 ft) | Small bucktail tipped with worm, Scented grub on a light jig |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn | Surveyed channel edge (16 ft) | Light scented jig worked slowly |
| Fall | 6 to 25 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (16 ft) | Small bucktail + worm, Scented bottom jig |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (16 ft) | Small bucktail tipped with worm |
The chart marks 18 structure features on Rockland Harbor; the deepest is Surveyed channel edge at about 53 ft.
Access data: Maine GeoLibrary — Boat Launches (Maine IF&W / DACF). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Maine waters are set by the Maine DMR (saltwater recreational fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Rockland Harbor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maine fishing regulations →
Rockland Harbor 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, atlantic mackerel, atlantic cod, atlantic herring, winter flounder on Rockland Harbor. 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.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic cod in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Rockland Harbor is regulated by the Maine DMR (saltwater recreational fishing). Check the official Maine regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Owls Head Bay 3 mi · Dix Island Harbor 7 mi · Saint George River 7 mi · Muscle Ridge Channel 7 mi · Camden Harbor 8 mi · Wheeler Bay 8 mi · Home Harbor 8 mi · Rackliff Bay 8 mi · Clark Cove 9 mi · South Pond 9 mi · Crawford Pond 10 mi · Seven Tree Pond 11 mi
See how Rockland Harbor stacks up: best striped bass lakes in Maine · best winter flounder lakes in Maine · best bluefish lakes in Maine · best atlantic herring lakes in Maine
Browse all Maine fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 99% measured, 1% 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.