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90-acre Sheepshead Bay fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (93.85% measured, 98.46% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 40 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.
Drawn out, this is 90 acres of water rimmed by 3.3 miles of bank. The 2.5 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. About 42% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 1.1 mi long by 0.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. For a second option, Rockaway Inlet lies 2 mi south.
Spring striped bass on Sheepshead Bay hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 12 to 40 ft, and by winter most fish are in 12 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Surveyed channel edge — drop-off, 21 ft, good for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig.
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 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (19 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (21 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (21 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (21 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
Spring puts bluefish in skinny water — 3 to 20 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 40 ft. Surveyed channel edge is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 21 ft, rated good for summer bluefish. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. 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 | Surveyed channel edge (19 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) |
Early season summer flounder (fluke) use the shallows, holding in 5 to 25 ft. Summer is an 8 to 35 ft game here, winter a 12 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Surveyed channel edge — drop-off, 21 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is midday and early morning. Tie on a bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead and you're in the game.
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 | Surveyed channel edge (21 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (21 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 11 to 40 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 45 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (21 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (21 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
Spring black sea bass on Sheepshead Bay hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 10 to 40 ft in summer, 12 to 40 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Dangerous NOAA charted wreck — wreck, 10 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in midday and early morning. The summer box starts with a bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser.
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 (10 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 10 to 40 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 10 to 40 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 100 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (17 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: tautog (blackfish) in 5 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 35 ft, wintering in 12 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Dangerous NOAA charted wreck, a wreck in the 10 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab 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 | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 50 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (17 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
Early season scup (porgy) use the shallows, holding in 5 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 40 ft. Put Dangerous NOAA charted wreck first on the milk run — a wreck near 10 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in midday and early morning. Tie on a hi-lo porgy rig or a micro metal jig and you're in the game.
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 | dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | Small hi-lo rig, Micro jig tipped with bait |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | Hi-lo porgy rig, Micro metal jig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | Compact vertical jig, Hi-lo rig |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 50 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (10 ft) | Small slow vertical jig |
Sheepshead Bay also holds winter flounder (8 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
14 pieces of structure are mapped here — Dangerous NOAA charted wreck, around 30 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: NYC Parks — Sheepshead Bay Piers. 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 Sheepshead Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Sheepshead Bay is about 40 ft (12 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 Sheepshead Bay. 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 10 ft of water that rates prime for tautog (blackfish) 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 Sheepshead Bay 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.
Rockaway Inlet 2 mi · Coney Island Channel 3 mi · Island Channel 4 mi · Gravesend Bay 4 mi · Prospect Park Lake 5 mi · Beach Channel 6 mi · Lower Bay 6 mi · Bay Ridge Channel 7 mi · East Broad Channel 7 mi · Red Hook Channel 7 mi · Winhole Channel 7 mi · Grassy Bay 8 mi
See how Sheepshead Bay 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; 94% measured, 5% 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.