Great Egg Reef — public NJ reef off Atlantic City
Great Egg Reef is a public NJDEP site off Atlantic City. reeflocs.pdf says 7.2 nm; the August 2021 map says 7.0 nm, 1.0 sq mi, and 45–70 ft. Named pieces include the 165-foot tanker barge Rothenbach II.
By Sebastian · Published September 14, 2026
Public-source briefing only. We have not surveyed this water. DEP reef maps are marked not for navigational purposes. Confirm corners, depths, and deployments on the current NJ Fish & Wildlife reef PDFs and a live NOAA chart before you leave the dock.
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What the state published
- Official name
- Great Egg Reef Site
- Distance offshore
- 7.2 nm off Atlantic City on reeflocs.pdf; 7.0 nm on the August 2021 map
- Reef area
- 1.0 square miles (August 2021 map)
- Depth range
- 45–70 ft (August 2021 map); legend bands 40–70 ft
- NE corner (DGPS)
- 39°15.000′ N, 74°21.000′ W — reeflocs.pdf
- NW corner (DGPS)
- 39°15.000′ N, 74°22.000′ W — reeflocs.pdf
- SE corner (DGPS)
- 39°14.000′ N, 74°21.000′ W — reeflocs.pdf
- SW corner (DGPS)
- 39°14.000′ N, 74°22.000′ W — reeflocs.pdf
- Rothenbach II (1998)
- 165-foot tanker barge, July 10, 1998 — 39°14.500′ N, 74°21.480′ W (Great Egg PDF)
Great Egg Reef is the public ocean box 7 nm-class off Atlantic City. It is easy to mix with Great Egg Harbor Inlet. This page follows the Great Egg Reef PDF and the Atlantic City corners on reeflocs.pdf.
Official box
reeflocs.pdf: 7.2 nm off Atlantic City NJ. August 2021 map: 7.0 nm, 1.0 sq mi, 45–70 ft, not for navigational purposes. Legend: concrete, dredge rock, military vehicles, reef balls, ships, tires.
| Corner | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|---|
| NE | 39°15.000′ N | 74°21.000′ W |
| NW | 39°15.000′ N | 74°22.000′ W |
| SE | 39°14.000′ N | 74°21.000′ W |
| SW | 39°14.000′ N | 74°22.000′ W |
Named drops (sample)
The state table is mostly tire units, Reef-Ex tanks, and later reef balls. Named pieces we can cite without dumping the rest:
- 1000 Fathom Reef — M-60 Patton, September 9, 1996 — 39°14.820′ N, 74°21.490′ W
- Ocean City Marlin & Tuna Club Reef I — M-551 Sheridan, September 9, 1996 — 39°14.900′ N, 74°21.450′ W
- 165-foot tanker barge Rothenbach II, July 10, 1998 — 39°14.500′ N, 74°21.480′ W
- Billy Harvey Reef — 28 bridge pilings, August 22, 2001 — 39°14.820′ N, 74°21.750′ W
- Bill Quenzer Fathead Reef — 38 concrete castings, October 1, 2003 — 39°14.120′ N, 74°21.100′ W
- Ocean City Marlin & Tuna Club Reef — 150 reef balls, November 16, 2004 — 39°14.570′ N, 74°21.590′ W
We are not copying the remaining tank and reef-ball rows. Open the Great Egg Reef PDF for a specific ID.
Seasons
Statewide 2026 windows: NJ saltwater seasons 2026. Registry: NJ saltwater fishing rules.
Farther / larger box: Atlantic City Reef. North toward LBI: Little Egg Reef, Garden State South.
Sources checked
Electronics and comms, not $10 staples
Chart + sonar
Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv
$999.99 when checked on Amazon for the GT54 transducer bundle
Fixed-mount VHF with GPS/DSC
Icom IC-M330G
$228.12 when checked on Amazon for the black GPS model
Backup ~7 nm off Atlantic City
Garmin inReach Mini 2
$349.99 on Garmin when checked; Amazon listing for the Mini 2 also live