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Rating depth structure for atlantic cod.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
1,717-acre Sheet Harbour fishing map with CHS NONNA survey contours (49.2% measured, 99.27% assessed), four measured spots, regional DFO cod, mackerel and forage evidence, an official water-arrival anchorage reference, and current groundfish, mackerel, CSSP, pilotage and port guidance. The water tops out around 72 ft. The depth chart comes from CHS bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Traced from the shoreline, Sheet Harbour runs 1,715 acres with 17 miles of edge, broken up by 2 islands. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.9) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. About 34% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 5.5 mi end to end and 1.6 mi across at its widest. The nearest mapped water is Grand Lake, 5 mi to the west.
When the water first warms, atlantic cod slide up into 14 to 72 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 18 to 72 ft, winter 16 to 72 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Sheet Harbour surveyed entrance trough: a deep basin around 72 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig 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 | 14 to 72 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 100 ft | dawn | Slab Point surveyed shoal-water edge (40 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 18 to 72 ft chart-limited; documented 45 to 180 ft | dawn | Sheet Harbour surveyed entrance trough (72 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 13 to 72 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 140 ft | dawn | Slab Point surveyed shoal-water edge (40 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 16 to 72 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 220 ft | midday | Sheet Harbour surveyed entrance trough (72 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Spring atlantic mackerel on Sheet Harbour hold shallow, usually 5 to 45 ft. By summer they slide out to 14 to 72 ft, and by winter most fish are in 18 to 72 ft. The chart's best answer is Sheet Harbour surveyed entrance trough — deep basin, 72 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a feather rig or a small vertical 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 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Slab Point surveyed shoal-water edge (40 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 14 to 72 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sheet Harbour surveyed entrance trough (72 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Slab Point surveyed shoal-water edge (40 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 18 to 72 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 120 ft | midday | Sheet Harbour surveyed entrance trough (72 ft) | Small deep jig |
Come spring, look for winter flounder tight to the bank in 2 to 18 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Surveyed channel edge 2: a drop-off around 26 ft that scores good in summer. Best bite is early morning. A light scented jig worked slowly is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small bucktail tipped with worm, Scented grub on a light jig |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn | Surveyed channel edge 2 (26 ft) | Light scented jig worked slowly |
| Fall | 6 to 25 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge 2 (26 ft) | Small bucktail + worm, Scented bottom jig |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | midday | open water | Small bucktail tipped with worm |
8 pieces of structure are mapped here — Sheet Harbour surveyed entrance trough, around 72 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Canadian Hydrographic Service — Sailing Directions ATL 105. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Nova Scotia waters are set by the Nova Scotia sportfishing rules — and special regulations can apply to Sheet Harbour specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nova Scotia fishing regulations →
Sheet Harbour is about 72 ft (22 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from CHS bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target atlantic cod, atlantic mackerel, winter flounder on Sheet Harbour. 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.
Sheet Harbour surveyed entrance trough is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 72 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic cod in winter. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For atlantic cod, 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 Sheet Harbour is regulated by the Nova Scotia sportfishing rules. Check the official Nova Scotia regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Grand Lake 5 mi · Grand Lake 31 mi · Bayer Lake 32 mi · West Branch Lake 33 mi · Black Lake 36 mi · Eden Lake 36 mi · Dollar Lake 40 mi · Porters Lake 41 mi · Forbes Lake 42 mi · Lochaber Lake 43 mi · Lake Echo 44 mi · Shortts Lake 45 mi
See how Sheet Harbour stacks up: best winter flounder lakes in Nova Scotia · best atlantic mackerel lakes in Nova Scotia · best atlantic cod lakes in Nova Scotia
Browse all Nova Scotia fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: CHS NONNA 10 (CHS Chart Datum (CD); 49% measured, 50% 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.