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1,478-acre Sinclair Inlet fishing map with native-MLLW NOAA survey contours (96.42% measured and assessed), 17 Navy-exclusion-filtered measured fishing spots, six sourced fish profiles, three exact forage calendars, three public access sites, Marine Area 10 rules and consumption guidance. The water tops out around 68 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to MLLW; 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 1,475 acres of water rimmed by 16 miles of bank — 21 islands included. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 3) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. 14% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. The basin spans about 2.4 mi end to end and 1.6 mi across at its widest. The nearest mapped water is Kitsap Lake, 3 mi to the northwest.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: pacific chinook salmon in 17 to 68 ft. The depth story barely changes: 9 to 68 ft through summer, 19 to 68 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in the 31 ft range, good in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a herring or sand-lance spoon or a baitfish hoochie behind a flasher gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 17 to 68 ft | dawn | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Herring-pattern spoon, Three-to-four-inch baitfish swimbait |
| Summer | 9 to 68 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Herring or sand-lance spoon, Baitfish hoochie behind a flasher |
| Fall | 7 to 68 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Compact spoon, Baitfish spinner where legal |
| Winter | 19 to 68 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Slow-trolled spoon, Deep baitfish plug |
In spring, pacific coho salmon run shallow here, mostly 10 to 68 ft. Summer keeps them at 7 to 68 ft, and they winter in 20 to 68 ft. Surveyed channel edge is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 31 ft, rated good for spring pacific coho salmon. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a small hoochie behind a flasher or a slim spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 68 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Small silver spoon, Slim baitfish fly |
| Summer | 7 to 68 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Small hoochie behind a flasher, Slim spoon |
| Fall | 5 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Small spinner where legal, Compact spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 68 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Slow small spoon, Compact trolling fly |
Spring puts chum salmon in skinny water — 10 to 68 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 4 to 68 ft, and winter fish hold in 17 to 68 ft. Summer chum salmon concentrate at NOAA charted underwater rock, a prime-rated rock pile around 5 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A chartreuse or pink hoochie or a bright spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 68 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Chrome spoon, Compact baitfish jig |
| Summer | 4 to 68 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (5 ft) | Chartreuse or pink hoochie, Bright spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (5 ft) | Bright spinner, Pink or chartreuse jig |
| Winter | 17 to 68 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
In spring, english sole run shallow here, mostly 17 to 68 ft. Summer keeps them at 8 to 68 ft, and they winter in 15 to 68 ft. Fall english sole concentrate at Surveyed channel edge, a good-rated drop-off around 31 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a small scented jig or a light grub on bottom most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 17 to 68 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Small scented bottom jig, Light bucktail |
| Summer | 8 to 68 ft | dawn | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Small scented jig, Light grub on bottom |
| Fall | 12 to 68 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Slow bucktail, Small bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 68 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (31 ft) | Slow scented bottom jig |
Come spring, look for cutthroat trout tight to the bank in 3 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 40 ft. Start at NOAA charted underwater rock. It's a rock pile holding about 5 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (5 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (25 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (5 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (25 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lingcod in 12 to 68 ft. The depth story barely changes: 8 to 68 ft through summer, 17 to 68 ft in winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted underwater rock, a rock pile in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for lingcod in summer. Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a heavy swimbait or a metal jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 12 to 68 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (5 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Summer | 8 to 68 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (5 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Fall | 10 to 68 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (5 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large swimbait |
| Winter | 17 to 68 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (25 ft) | Heavy slow-pitch jig |
Count 19 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Surveyed channel edge, sits near 34 ft.
Access data: Port of Bremerton Recreation page. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Washington waters are set by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (Marine Area 10 — Seattle/Bremerton) — and special regulations can apply to Sinclair Inlet specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Washington fishing regulations →
Sinclair Inlet is about 68 ft (21 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to MLLW; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target pacific chinook salmon, pacific coho salmon, chum salmon, english sole, cutthroat trout, lingcod on Sinclair Inlet.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for lingcod in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For pacific chinook salmon, 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 Sinclair Inlet is regulated by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (Marine Area 10 — Seattle/Bremerton). Check the official Washington regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Kitsap Lake 3 mi · Long Lake 5 mi · Dyes Inlet 6 mi · Wildcat Lake 7 mi · Blakely Harbor 7 mi · Eagle Harbor 8 mi · Mission Lake 9 mi · Island Lake 9 mi · Tiger Lake 9 mi · Horseshoe Lake 10 mi · Panther Lake 10 mi · Wye Lake 10 mi
See how Sinclair Inlet stacks up: best cutthroat trout lakes in Washington · best chum salmon lakes in Washington · best pacific chinook salmon lakes in Washington · best pacific coho salmon lakes in Washington
Browse all Washington fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information and Office of Coast Survey NOAA Sinclair Inlet hydrographic survey composite (MLLW; 96% 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.