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653-acre Winter Harbor fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (97.85% measured, 98.6% assessed), charted rock and wreck structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 81 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. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
On the chart, Winter Harbor draws 652 acres inside 8.2 miles of shoreline, broken up by 23 islands. A development index of 2.3 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 23% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 1.7 mi, about 1 mi across. The nearest mapped water is Jordan Harbor, 2 mi to the northwest.
Spring striped bass on Winter Harbor hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 25 to 60 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 50 ft. Put Surveyed channel edge first on the milk run — a drop-off near 59 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled).
| 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 | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (59 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
Spring puts bluefish in skinny water — 3 to 20 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 30 ft, wintering in 15 to 40 ft. Summer bluefish concentrate at Surveyed channel edge, a prime-rated drop-off around 20 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. 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 (20 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Early season atlantic mackerel use the shallows, holding in 5 to 45 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 80 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 81 ft. Put Surveyed channel edge first on the milk run — a drop-off near 59 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a feather rig or a small vertical jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (59 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (59 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 20 to 81 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (59 ft) | Small deep jig |
Come spring, look for atlantic cod tight to the bank in 16 to 81 ft. Through summer count on 20 to 81 ft; the winter hold is 18 to 81 ft. Start at NOAA charted underwater rock. It's a rock pile holding about 17 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 16 to 81 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (17 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 20 to 81 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (17 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 14 to 81 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (15 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 18 to 81 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (17 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
In spring, atlantic herring run shallow here, mostly 5 to 25 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 15 to 50 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 60 ft. Surveyed channel edge is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 20 ft, rated prime for summer atlantic herring. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a herring feather rig or a small silver jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (15 ft) | Small herring feather rig, Micro jig rig |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Herring feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Fall | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (20 ft) | Small feather rig, Compact silver spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (59 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
Count 8 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Surveyed channel edge, sits near 59 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 Winter Harbor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maine fishing regulations →
Winter Harbor is about 81 ft (25 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 Winter Harbor.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 17 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic cod in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Winter Harbor 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.
Jordan Harbor 2 mi · Bunkers Harbor 3 mi · Schoodic Harbor 3 mi · Stave Island Harbor 4 mi · Bar Harbor 6 mi · Cromwell Cove 6 mi · Frenchman Bay 6 mi · Flanders Bay 6 mi · Eastern Point Harbor 7 mi · Sorrento Harbor 8 mi · Lake Wood 9 mi · Long Pond 10 mi
See how Winter Harbor 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; 98% measured, 1% 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.