Boating, Fishing, and Travel Information for Bass River, MA

Approaches and Prominent Features
Bass River, 9.6 miles westward of Stage Harbor Light, is entered between two jetties. A light is on the west jetty. A seasonal lighted bell buoy, 1.1 miles southward of the jetty light, marks the approach. A channel marked by private seasonal buoys leads over the bar from about 0.4 mile southward of the jetty light through the jetties to an anchorage basin in the lower part of the river, and thence to the highway bridge at South Dennis, 3.1 miles above the mouth. The bridge has a 25-foot fixed span with a clearance of 10 feet.

The entrance to the anchorage basin and the channel over the bar are subject to shoaling. The dredged entrance channel has a controlling depth of 4.6 feet to the river mouth, just inside the jetties, the river channel has a depth of 5 feet to South Yarmouth, thence 2 feet to the bridge at South Dennis. Private seasonal buoys mark the channel to Follins Pond, about 6.1 miles above the mouth.

Dogfish Bar, an extensive shoal area off Bass River entrance, is covered 1 to 6 feet. A small breakwater, formerly used as a shelter for small craft, is on the easterly end of the bar, about 1 mile southeastward of Bass River West Jetty Light. The area around the breakwater and northeasterly of it has shoaled. Rocks awash at low water are about 0.4 mile northwestward of the breakwater. These rocks are marked by a private seasonal buoy. A fish haven, marked by a private buoy, is about 2 miles south of the breakwater, and a fishtrap marked by a private seasonal light is 1.8 miles southwest of the breakwater.

State Route 28 highway bridge crossing the river between West Dennis and South Yarmouth, about 1.5 miles above the mouth, has a 30-foot fixed span with a clearance of 15 feet.

Facilities
About 0.8 mile above the mouth, a channel leads eastward to a lagoon, which has a depth of 10 feet. West Dennis Yacht Club is at the head of the lagoon.
A marina and boatyard, about 0.4 mile below the first highway bridge, has a lift that can haul out craft up to 45 feet for hull and engine repairs or dry open and covered storage. Electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, marine supplies, a pump-out station and a launching ramp are available. There is 6 feet reported depth alongside the dock. The marina monitors channel 16.

Town landings and launching ramps are on both sides of the river at and below the bridge. Rental boats, gasoline, bait, and tackle can be obtained at a fishing pier just north of the east end of the bridge. A marina, above the pier, has berths, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, a pump-out station, a 35-ton lift, and storage facilities; hull and engine repairs can be made.

Two fixed bridges, railroad and highway, cross the river about 0.7 mile above the highway bridge at South Dennis. Least clearances are: 25 feet horizontal, and 8 feet vertical.

A reported depth of 4 feet could be carried at high water to a marina and boatyard on Kellys Bay, about 0.3 mile above the railroad and highway bridges. A mobile lift at the yard can haul out craft to 28 feet for hull and engine repairs or dry open or covered storage. Gasoline, water, moorings, and berths are available.