Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeSalt water depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
1,077-acre harbor near East Hampton. The water tops out around 14 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetric surveys, so measured depths remain distinct 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.
The drawn water covers 1,077 acres wrapped in 12.7 miles of bank. The 2.8 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. The basin spans about 2.7 mi end to end and 1.6 mi across at its widest. It sits in Suffolk County. If the bite dies, Northwest Harbor is 3 mi to the west.
In spring, striped bass run shallow here, mostly 4 to 14 ft. Summer keeps them at 4 to 14 ft, and they winter in 4 to 14 ft. Summer striped bass concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 13 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig most summer days.
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 | 4 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (4 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (13 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | midday | Old creek channel (10 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
Come spring, look for bluefish tight to the bank in 2 to 14 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 14 ft; the winter hold is 4 to 14 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Creek inflow: an inflow / creek mouth around 2 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips is the honest summer answer here.
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 | 2 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (2 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 2 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (2 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 2 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Creek inflow (2 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: summer flounder (fluke) in 3 to 14 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 14 ft through summer, 4 to 14 ft in winter. The spot to know is Old creek channel, a creek channel in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for summer flounder (fluke) in spring. Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead 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 | 3 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Old creek channel (10 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 3 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
In spring, black sea bass run shallow here, mostly 4 to 14 ft. Summer keeps them at 4 to 14 ft, and they winter in 4 to 14 ft. Summer black sea bass concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 9 ft. Fish it in midday and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a bucktail + grub or a diamond jig + squid teaser most summer days.
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 | 4 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Hi-lo rig + squid, 1-2 oz bucktail + Gulp |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Bucktail + grub, Diamond jig + squid teaser |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | 3-4 oz vertical jig (deep), Double-teaser rig |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 100 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) | Heavy hi-lo rig on deep wrecks |
Early season tautog (blackfish) use the shallows, holding in 3 to 14 ft. Even in summer they hold at 4 to 14 ft; winter keeps them in 4 to 14 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 9 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab 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 | 3 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Tog jig + green crab half, Bare jig + clam (early) |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn | Marina / dock area (2 ft) | 1/2-1 oz tog jig + crab |
| Fall | 3 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 50 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Tog jig + whole green crab, Old-school rig + double crab (deep) |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) | Heavy jig + crab on deep structure |
Spring puts scup (porgy) in skinny water — 3 to 14 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 14 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 14 ft. Marina / dock area is the standout, a dock line at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for summer scup (porgy). Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. A hi-lo porgy rig or a micro metal jig covers the summer program.
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 | 3 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 25 ft | dawn | Marina / dock area (2 ft) | Small hi-lo rig, Micro jig tipped with bait |
| Summer | 2 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Marina / dock area (2 ft) | Hi-lo porgy rig, Micro metal jig |
| Fall | 3 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Compact vertical jig, Hi-lo rig |
| Winter | 3 to 14 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 50 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Small slow vertical jig |
Three Mile Harbor also holds weakfish (2 to 14 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 9 structure features on Three Mile Harbor; the deepest is Deep basin at about 13 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. 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 Three Mile Harbor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Three Mile Harbor is about 14 ft (4 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetric surveys, so measured depths remain distinct 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), weakfish on Three Mile Harbor.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Three Mile 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.
Northwest Harbor 3 mi · Coecles Harbor 7 mi · Napeague Bay 8 mi · Fresh Pond (Shelter Island) 8 mi · Fresh Pond (Hither Hills) 9 mi · Orient Harbor 10 mi · Pettys Bight 11 mi · Pipes Cove 11 mi · Fort Pond Bay 12 mi · Fort Pond 13 mi · Cutchogue Harbor 14 mi · Lake Montauk 14 mi
See how Three Mile Harbor stacks up: best striped bass lakes in New York · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes in New York · best bluefish lakes in New York · best black sea bass lakes in New York
Browse all New York fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (ENC soundings, MLLW datum). 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.