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192-acre Setauket Harbor fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (99.64% measured, 100% assessed), 16 measured rock, groin, dock and depth-transition fishing spots, exact and labeled connected New York fish evidence, three forage calendars, public ramp access and current rules. The water tops out around 18 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.
Drawn out, this is 191 acres of water rimmed by 5 miles of bank, with 4 islands in the mix. The 2.6 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. Figure 1.2 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.6 mi at the beam. For a second option, Port Jefferson Harbor lies 1 mi northeast.
Early season winter flounder use the shallows, holding in 2 to 18 ft. Even in summer they hold at 5 to 18 ft; winter keeps them in 3 to 18 ft. Put NOAA charted pier first on the milk run — a dock line near 2 ft that grades good for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a light scented jig worked slowly and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted pier (2 ft) | Small bucktail tipped with worm, Scented grub on a light jig |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Surveyed channel edge (6 ft) | Light scented jig worked slowly |
| Fall | 4 to 18 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (4 ft) | Small bucktail + worm, Scented bottom jig |
| Winter | 3 to 18 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (4 ft) | Small bucktail tipped with worm |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluefish in 3 to 18 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 18 ft through summer, 5 to 18 ft in winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted groin, a jetty / riprap in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for bluefish in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (4 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 3 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted groin (6 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 2 to 18 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (4 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | open water | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Come spring, look for striped bass tight to the bank in 5 to 18 ft. Through summer count on 5 to 18 ft; the winter hold is 5 to 18 ft. Start at Surveyed channel edge. It's a drop-off holding about 6 ft of water and rates good come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (6 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (6 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (6 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (6 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
When the water first warms, scup (porgy) slide up into 4 to 18 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 18 ft, winter 4 to 18 ft. If you only fish one area, make it NOAA charted underwater rock: a rock pile around 3 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in midday and early morning. Keep a hi-lo porgy rig or a micro metal jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (3 ft) | Small hi-lo rig, Micro jig tipped with bait |
| Summer | 3 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (3 ft) | Hi-lo porgy rig, Micro metal jig |
| Fall | 4 to 18 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (3 ft) | Compact vertical jig, Hi-lo rig |
| Winter | 4 to 18 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (3 ft) | Small slow vertical jig |
In spring, tautog (blackfish) run shallow here, mostly 4 to 18 ft. Summer keeps them at 5 to 18 ft, and they winter in 5 to 18 ft. NOAA charted groin is the standout, a jetty / riprap at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring tautog (blackfish). Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted groin (6 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | NOAA charted groin (6 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 4 to 18 ft | midday | NOAA charted groin (6 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | NOAA charted groin (6 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
16 pieces of structure are mapped here — NOAA charted pier, around 7 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: New York State DEC Suffolk County Boat Launch Directory / Town of Brookhaven. 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 Setauket Harbor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Setauket Harbor is about 18 ft (5 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 winter flounder, bluefish, striped bass, scup (porgy), tautog (blackfish) on Setauket Harbor.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for scup (porgy) in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For winter flounder, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Setauket Harbor 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.
Port Jefferson Harbor 1 mi · Mount Sinai Harbor 3 mi · Smithtown Bay 6 mi · Lake Ronkonkoma 9 mi · Artist Lake 10 mi · Blydenburgh Lake 10 mi · Deep Pond 14 mi · Northport Bay 15 mi · Black Rock Harbor 15 mi, CT · Frash Pond 15 mi, CT · Centerport Harbor 15 mi · Knapps Lake 16 mi
See how Setauket Harbor stacks up: best striped bass lakes in New York · best winter flounder lakes in New York · best bluefish lakes in New York · best scup (porgy) 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.