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Rating depth structure for european seabass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
5,023-acre Crouch Estuary. Inner to Burnham Reach fishing map with Environment Agency multibeam/SurfZone ODN contours (96.25% measured, 97.6% assessed), four measured spots, exact EA TraC occurrence, three dated survey cards, official access and current GOV.UK/applicable IFCA guidance. The water tops out around 52 ft. The depth chart comes from Environment Agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
The outline encloses 5,003 acres, worked by 173.9 miles of shoreline — 114 islands included. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 17.6) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Roughly 75% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Tip to tip the water measures near 13.8 mi with a 5.8-mi widest point. Blue Lagoon sits 6 mi southwest — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring european seabass on Crouch Estuary - Inner to Burnham Reach hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 9 to 52 ft. The chart's best answer is Directly measured lower-channel shoulder — channel edge, 22 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Directly measured lower-channel shoulder (22 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Directly measured lower-channel shoulder (22 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Directly measured lower-channel shoulder (22 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 9 to 52 ft | midday | Deepest directly measured basin cell (52 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: common sole in 6 to 30 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 30 ft through summer, 15 to 52 ft in winter. The spot to know is Directly measured upper-flat transition, a feeding flat in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for common sole in spring. Plan around the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a light rolling-lead rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 30 ft | dusk | Directly measured upper-flat transition (9 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | Directly measured upper-flat transition (9 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Directly measured lower-channel shoulder (22 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 52 ft | night | Deepest directly measured basin cell (52 ft) |
Spring puts flathead grey mullet in skinny water — 2 to 18 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 1 to 22 ft; cold water stacks them in 12 to 45 ft. Directly measured lower-channel shoulder is the standout, a channel edge at roughly 22 ft, rated prime for fall flathead grey mullet. Plan around early morning and midday in the warm months. A bread fly or a small algae-pattern fly covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 18 ft | dusk | Directly measured upper-flat transition (9 ft) | Bread fly, Tiny shrimp fly |
| Summer | 1 to 22 ft | dawn & midday | Directly measured upper-flat transition (9 ft) | Bread fly, Small algae-pattern fly |
| Fall | 4 to 28 ft | midday | Directly measured lower-channel shoulder (22 ft) | Bread fly |
| Winter | 12 to 45 ft | midday | Directly measured lower-channel shoulder (22 ft) |
Come spring, look for european plaice tight to the bank in 8 to 35 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 40 ft, then a winter hold in 16 to 52 ft. Start at Directly measured upper-flat transition. It's a feeding flat holding about 9 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dusk | Directly measured upper-flat transition (9 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Directly measured upper-flat transition (9 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | Directly measured lower-channel shoulder (22 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 16 to 52 ft | midday | Deepest directly measured basin cell (52 ft) |
Spring puts atlantic cod in skinny water — 10 to 52 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 13 to 52 ft, and winter fish hold in 12 to 52 ft. Deepest directly measured basin cell is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 52 ft, rated prime 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 | 10 to 52 ft | dawn | Strongest directly measured local depth transition (41 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 13 to 52 ft | dawn | Deepest directly measured basin cell (52 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 9 to 52 ft | dawn | Strongest directly measured local depth transition (41 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 12 to 52 ft | midday | Deepest directly measured basin cell (52 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
The chart marks 17 structure features on Crouch Estuary - Inner to Burnham Reach; the deepest is Deepest directly measured basin cell at about 52 ft.
Access data: Crouch Harbour Authority. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Crouch Estuary - Inner to Burnham Reach is about 52 ft (16 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Environment Agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target european seabass, common sole, flathead grey mullet, european plaice, atlantic cod on Crouch Estuary - Inner to Burnham Reach. The list combines the water's survey records with habitat-filtered species from broader official evidence; those additions are plausible occurrences, not exact-water abundance or guaranteed catches.
Directly measured upper-flat transition is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for common sole in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For european seabass, 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.
Blue Lagoon 6 mi · Blackwater Estuary - Inner and Middle 10 mi · Hanningfield Reservoir 10 mi · North Pool 20 mi · North Pool, Marsh Work 20 mi · Ardleigh Reservoir 24 mi · Stour Estuary 31 mi · Bonnington Lake 32 mi · Holbrook Lake 33 mi · North Metropolitan pit 33 mi · Orwell Estuary 35 mi · Bromley Lower Lake 36 mi
See how Crouch Estuary - Inner to Burnham Reach stacks up: best european seabass lakes in United Kingdom · best common sole lakes in United Kingdom · best european plaice lakes in United Kingdom
Browse all United Kingdom fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: Environment Agency Multibeam Bathymetry + SurfZone DEM 2019 (Ordnance Datum Newlyn (ODN); 96% 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.