Eagle Ridge, sometimes called Little Middle Bank.  This ridge is 7 2/3 miles S. by W. from Eastern Point Light, Cape Ann. and 1 mile long, NE. and SW., by 1/2 mile wide.  The average depths are 25 fathoms on a rocky and uneven bottom.  Formerly, with Old Man’s Pasture and Browns Ledge. this was considered the principal winter grounds of the cod, but not so many have been taken here at that season in recent years.

Inside this area, at an average distance of 2 1/2 miles from Eastern Point Light and between bearings S. 1/2 E. and SW.. are a number of small, rocky patches having depths of from 10 to 25 fathoms—­Browns Ledge, Spot of Rocks, Saturday Night Ledge, and Burnhams Rocks; SW 1/2 W. from Saturday Night Ledge, 6 miles, lies Old Tillie.  Farther in are two shoal spots bearing nearly west from Eastern Point. one at 3/4 mile and the other at 2 miles distance, each having 11 fathoms.  The first is called Eleven Fathom Ground. the second, Kettle Island Ledge.  This latter lies 1/2 mile Se. of Kettle Island.  These are cod grounds in winter and haddock grounds in summer.  Gill-netters operate from Kettle Island to Halfway Rock and Italian boats trawl at all seasons off The Graves.

Western Point Ridge.  This bears S. by E. 1/2 E. from Eastern Point Light, distant 9 1/4 miles.  Its length NE. and SW. is 1 1/2 miles and its width is 3/4 mile.  The depths average 29 fathoms over a broken and rocky bottom.  Small vessels and boats fish here for cod and haddock in the summer.  Netters take many pollock on all these shore grounds in the fall runs, October to January furnishing the largest fares.  Apparently these are spawning fish that leave abruptly during January, working offshore again.

The Dump.  This lies inside the lightship at Boston, extending from this to and well into Nahant Bay.  On these inner grounds soundings are from 12 to 15 fathoms over sand and gravel.  This portion is a cod ground from March to May.  The outer parts of the ground have from 15 to 20 fathoms of water over a gravelly and muddy bottom, which usually furnishes haddocking during the early spring.  These are mainly gill-net grounds.

Inner Bank.  This lies Se. from Thacher Island 12 miles to the northern end, whence it extends in a generally southerly direction for about 10 miles, having an average width of 2 1/2 miles.  Depths here average about 40 fathoms on a hard, gravelly bottom, where haddock usually are taken in the spring, pollock in the fall, and cod in the winter months.  This piece of ground is much fished by the gill-netting fleet out of Gloucester.

A large area of muddy ground lying E. of this and between it and Middle Bank is much visited by the flounder draggers out of Boston and Gloucester.  Depths here are from 40 to 55 fathoms over a comparatively smooth bottom.