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233-acre Whitehead Passage fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (100% measured, 100% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 58 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Traced from the shoreline, Whitehead Passage runs 233 acres with 3.4 miles of edge, broken up by an island. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.6) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 34% of this chart. End to end it runs roughly 1 mi, about 0.6 mi across. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Hussey Sound, 2 mi northeast of here.
Come spring, look for striped bass tight to the bank in 5 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 17 to 58 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 50 ft. Start at Surveyed channel edge. It's a drop-off holding about 27 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 17 to 58 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluefish in 3 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 30 ft before dropping to 15 to 40 ft for winter. The spot to know is Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in about 27 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 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Come spring, look for atlantic mackerel tight to the bank in 5 to 45 ft. They move out to 11 to 58 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 58 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Surveyed channel edge: a drop-off around 27 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A feather rig or a small vertical jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 11 to 58 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 9 to 58 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 58 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Small deep jig |
Early season atlantic cod use the shallows, holding in 12 to 58 ft. Even in summer they hold at 15 to 58 ft; winter keeps them in 13 to 58 ft. The chart's best answer is NOAA charted underwater rock — rock pile, 18 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 12 to 58 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (18 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 15 to 58 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (18 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 10 to 58 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (18 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 13 to 58 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (18 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Start shallow in spring: atlantic herring sit in 5 to 25 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 50 ft; cold water stacks them in 17 to 58 ft. Top water on the chart: Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in the 27 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a herring feather rig or a small silver jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (18 ft) | Small herring feather rig, Micro jig rig |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Herring feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Fall | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Small feather rig, Compact silver spoon |
| Winter | 17 to 58 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (27 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
Structure-wise the chart holds 14 features, led in depth by Surveyed channel edge at roughly 27 ft.
Access data: Maine GeoLibrary — Boat Launches (Maine IF&W / DACF). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Maine waters are set by the Maine DMR (saltwater recreational fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Whitehead Passage specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maine fishing regulations →
Whitehead Passage is about 58 ft (18 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, atlantic mackerel, atlantic cod, atlantic herring on Whitehead Passage.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 18 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic cod in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each 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 Whitehead Passage is regulated by the Maine DMR (saltwater recreational fishing). Check the official Maine regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Hussey Sound 2 mi · Diamond Cove 3 mi · Fore River 3 mi · Dorseys Cove 4 mi · Great Ledge Cove 4 mi · Luckse Sound 4 mi · Chandler Cove 5 mi · Dyer Cove 6 mi · Coleman Cove 6 mi · Broken Cove 7 mi · Richmond Island Harbor 8 mi · Broad Sound 9 mi
See how Whitehead Passage stacks up: best striped bass lakes in Maine · best bluefish lakes in Maine · best atlantic herring lakes in Maine · best atlantic mackerel lakes in Maine
Browse all Maine 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.