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2,413-acre Salem Sound fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (100% measured, 100% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 70 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Traced from the shoreline, Salem Sound runs 2,409 acres with 12.4 miles of edge, broken up by 3 islands. Index 1.8 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 9% of this chart. End to end it runs roughly 2.8 mi, about 2.5 mi across. The nearest mapped water is Eagle Island Channel, 1 mi to the southeast.
Spring striped bass on Salem Sound hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 25 to 60 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 50 ft. Put Surveyed channel edge first on the milk run — a drop-off near 39 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run 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 | Surveyed channel edge (25 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (39 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (39 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
Spring puts bluefish in skinny water — 3 to 20 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 30 ft, wintering in 15 to 40 ft. Summer bluefish concentrate at Surveyed channel edge, a prime-rated drop-off around 28 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. 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 | Surveyed channel edge (28 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (25 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (39 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Spring black sea bass on Salem Sound hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 15 to 60 ft in summer and finish the year down in 21 to 70 ft. Put NOAA charted underwater rock first on the milk run — a rock pile near 11 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run 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 | NOAA charted underwater rock (11 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (47 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 18 to 70 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (47 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 21 to 70 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (47 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: tautog (blackfish) in 5 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 35 ft before dropping to 30 to 70 ft for winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted wreck, a wreck in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for tautog (blackfish) in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. 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 wreck (10 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn | NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (46 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 30 to 70 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (46 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
Early season atlantic mackerel use the shallows, holding in 5 to 45 ft. Expect a summer slide to 13 to 70 ft, then a winter hold in 18 to 70 ft. Put Surveyed channel edge first on the milk run — a drop-off near 39 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a feather rig or a small vertical jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (39 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 13 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (39 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (39 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 18 to 70 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (39 ft) | Small deep jig |
Come spring, look for atlantic cod tight to the bank in 14 to 70 ft. Through summer count on 18 to 70 ft; the winter hold is 16 to 70 ft. Start at NOAA charted underwater rock. It's a rock pile holding about 47 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 14 to 70 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (47 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 18 to 70 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (47 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 13 to 70 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (47 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 16 to 70 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (47 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
The chart marks 30 structure features on Salem Sound; the deepest is NOAA charted underwater rock at about 51 ft.
Access data: Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife — Public Water Access. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Massachusetts waters are set by the Massachusetts DMF (recreational saltwater) — and special regulations can apply to Salem Sound specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Massachusetts fishing regulations →
Salem Sound is about 70 ft (21 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, black sea bass, tautog (blackfish), atlantic mackerel, atlantic cod on Salem Sound.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for black sea bass 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 Salem Sound is regulated by the Massachusetts DMF (recreational saltwater). Check the official Massachusetts regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Eagle Island Channel 1 mi · Manchester Bay 2 mi · Beverly Harbor 2 mi · Childrens Island Channel 2 mi · Marblehead Channel 3 mi · Beverly Channel 3 mi · Manchester Harbor 3 mi · Marblehead Harbor 3 mi · Salem Harbor 4 mi · Chebacco Lake 5 mi · Pleasant Pond 6 mi · Gloucester Harbor 8 mi
See how Salem Sound stacks up: best striped bass lakes in Massachusetts · best bluefish lakes in Massachusetts · best black sea bass lakes in Massachusetts · best tautog (blackfish) lakes in Massachusetts
Browse all Massachusetts 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.