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11,419-acre Balsfjord. Inner Norway saltwater fishing map with official Kartverket surveyed 50 m bathymetry, measured-only fishing spots, Institute of Marine Research fish evidence, seasonal forage guidance and public shore-access context. Inner Balsfjord basin and headwater. The water tops out around 621 ft. The depth chart comes from Norwegian Mapping Authority (Kartverket) bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Balsfjord - Inner maps at 11,418 acres behind 27.2 miles of shoreline. With a 1.8 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. Roughly 1% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 10 mi of water from one end to the other, 4.1 mi at the beam. Its nearest charted neighbour, Laksvatnet, is 7 mi to the east.
The target roster combines named-water evidence where available with conservative, habitat-compatible official Norwegian coastal records. It documents occurrence context, not equal abundance, a catch rate or a promised catch. Closed targets are excluded and current rules control every trip. The roster may combine exact-water monitoring with habitat-filtered official regional evidence; it does not imply that every species is equally abundant throughout the mapped section.
| Species | Evidence basis | Count / date |
|---|---|---|
| (Atlantic Cod) | official species listing | — |
| (Saithe (Coalfish)) | official species listing | — |
| (Haddock) | official species listing | — |
| (Atlantic Herring) | official species listing | — |
| (Atlantic Halibut) | official species listing | — |
| (Ling) | official species listing | — |
| (Cusk (Tusk)) | official species listing | — |
| (Sea Trout) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Spring puts atlantic cod in skinny water — 20 to 100 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 45 to 180 ft; cold water stacks them in 50 to 220 ft. Kartverket measured rock pile is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 248 ft, rated good for winter atlantic cod. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 20 to 100 ft | dawn | open water | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 45 to 180 ft | dawn | open water | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 25 to 140 ft | dawn | Shoreline point (99 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 50 to 220 ft | midday | Kartverket measured rock pile (248 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Spring saithe (coalfish) on Balsfjord - Inner hold shallow, usually 15 to 160 ft. By summer they slide out to 25 to 260 ft, and by winter most fish are in 45 to 320 ft. The chart's best answer is Shoreline point — point, 99 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a speed jig or a heavy paddletail.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 160 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (99 ft) | Slim metal jig, Paddletail |
| Summer | 25 to 260 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (99 ft) | Speed jig, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 20 to 220 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (99 ft) | Metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 45 to 320 ft | midday | Kartverket measured rock pile (248 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Come spring, look for haddock tight to the bank in 35 to 220 ft. Expect a summer slide to 60 to 320 ft, then a winter hold in 70 to 400 ft. Start at Kartverket measured flat. It's a feeding flat holding about 87 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in early morning. A compact metal jig or a bottom rig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 35 to 220 ft | dawn | Kartverket measured flat (87 ft) | Small bottom jig, Beaded trace |
| Summer | 60 to 320 ft | dawn | Kartverket measured flat (87 ft) | Compact metal jig, Bottom rig |
| Fall | 45 to 260 ft | midday | Kartverket measured flat (87 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Winter | 70 to 400 ft | midday | Kartverket measured flat (87 ft) | Deep bottom jig |
Spring atlantic herring on Balsfjord - Inner hold shallow, usually 5 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 50 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 60 ft. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a herring feather rig or a small silver jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small herring feather rig, Micro jig rig |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Herring feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Fall | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small feather rig, Compact silver spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | open water | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
When the water first warms, atlantic halibut slide up into 45 to 350 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 25 to 300 ft, winter 100 to 600 ft. Start at Kartverket measured flat. It's a feeding flat holding about 87 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a large swimbait or a slow metal jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 45 to 350 ft | dawn | Kartverket measured flat (87 ft) | Large paddletail, Heavy bottom jig |
| Summer | 25 to 300 ft | dawn & dusk | Kartverket measured flat (87 ft) | Large swimbait, Slow metal jig |
| Fall | 45 to 380 ft | midday | Kartverket measured channel edge (342 ft) | Heavy paddletail, Bottom jig |
| Winter | 100 to 600 ft | midday | Deepest basin (619 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Spring ling on Balsfjord - Inner hold shallow, usually 80 to 450 ft. By summer they slide out to 100 to 600 ft, and by winter most fish are in 115 to 621 ft. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 379 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in midday. The summer box starts with a heavy vertical jig.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 80 to 450 ft | midday | Sharp break (379 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Summer | 100 to 600 ft | midday | Sharp break (379 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
| Fall | 90 to 520 ft | midday | Sharp break (379 ft) | Long metal jig |
| Winter | 115 to 621 ft chart-limited; documented 130 to 700 ft | midday | Deepest basin (619 ft) | Heavy deep jig |
Balsfjord - Inner also holds cusk (tusk) (105 to 621 ft in summer), sea trout (15 to 50 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Balsfjord - Inner carries 8 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest basin, about 619 ft down.
No Miljødirektoratet state-secured outdoor-recreation area matched within 500 metres of this exact surveyed-raster shoreline. This is an access-evidence gap, not a claim that public access does not exist. Verify land ownership, local signs, parking, safety and fishing permission before entry.
Private land and private launches need the owner's permission — please ask first.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Norway waters are set by the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries (sea-angling rules) — and special regulations can apply to Balsfjord - Inner specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish. Check the live national rules, protected species, minimum sizes, gear rules, local conservation areas and river-mouth restrictions before every trip. Directed Atlantic-halibut fishing is prohibited year-round south of 62°N; north of 62°N the current seasonal closure and size/release rules apply. A mapped shore-use lead does not establish fishing permission or safe access.
Check the official Norway fishing regulations →
Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries (current minimum sizes) →
Check special-area and water-specific rules →
Check official shore-access information →
Balsfjord - Inner is about 621 ft (189 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Norwegian Mapping Authority (Kartverket) bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Official coastal monitoring from Institute of Marine Research Norwegian coastal ecosystem surveys informs the atlantic cod, saithe (coalfish), haddock, atlantic herring, atlantic halibut, ling, cusk (tusk), sea trout roster for Balsfjord - Inner. The mixed roster combines exact-water records where available with habitat-filtered regional evidence; not every species is documented at this exact water, and it is not a promise of equal abundance or a catch on a particular trip.
Kartverket measured flat is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 87 ft of water that rates prime for haddock in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For atlantic cod, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Balsfjord - Inner is regulated by the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries (sea-angling rules). Check the official Norway regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Laksvatnet 7 mi · Josefvatnet 8 mi · Ytre Fiskelausvatnet 10 mi · Balsfjord - Outer 13 mi · Malangen - Inner 19 mi · Várevuoljávri 24 mi · Gisundet - North 28 mi · Lille Rostavatn 28 mi · Jægervatnet 30 mi · Lyngenfjord - Middle 30 mi · Ringvannet 30 mi · Storvatnet 31 mi
See how Balsfjord - Inner stacks up: best sea trout lakes in Norway · best atlantic herring lakes in Norway · best atlantic cod lakes in Norway · best saithe (coalfish) lakes in Norway
Browse all Norway fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: Norwegian Mapping Authority (Kartverket) Bathymetry terrain models, surveyed 50 metre grid (Chart datum / sea-chart zero as distributed by Kartverket; 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.