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Rating depth structure for atlantic herring.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
1,481-acre Great Ouse. King's Lynn to The Wash fishing map with Environment Agency multibeam/SurfZone ODN contours (96.43% measured, 96.43% assessed), four measured spots, exact EA TraC occurrence, three dated survey cards, official access and current GOV.UK/Eastern IFCA guidance. The water tops out around 23 ft. The depth chart comes from Environment Agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
The outline encloses 1,476 acres, worked by 32 miles of shoreline, broken up by an island. With a shoreline index of 5.9, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. The basin spans about 6.1 mi end to end and 2 mi across at its widest. If the bite dies, Stradsett Hall Lake is 12 mi to the south.
When the water first warms, atlantic herring slide up into 5 to 23 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 7 to 23 ft, winter 7 to 23 ft. Start at Deepest directly measured basin cell. It's a deep basin holding about 23 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a herring feather rig or a small silver jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | Directly measured upper-flat transition (8 ft) | Small herring feather rig, Micro jig rig |
| Summer | 7 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest directly measured basin cell (23 ft) | Herring feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Fall | 6 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest directly measured basin cell (23 ft) | Small feather rig, Compact silver spoon |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | midday | Deepest directly measured basin cell (23 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: european flounder in 5 to 23 ft. The depth story barely changes: 4 to 23 ft through summer, 7 to 23 ft in winter. The spot to know is Directly measured upper-flat transition, a feeding flat in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for european flounder in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bottom jig with spinner blade gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 23 ft | dusk | Directly measured upper-flat transition (8 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 4 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | Directly measured upper-flat transition (8 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 5 to 23 ft | dusk | Directly measured upper-flat transition (8 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | midday | Deepest directly measured basin cell (23 ft) | Small bottom jig |
Spring puts european smelt in skinny water — 3 to 23 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 7 to 23 ft, and winter fish hold in 7 to 23 ft. Deepest directly measured basin cell is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 23 ft, rated prime for summer european smelt. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A tiny vertical spoon or a micro jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 23 ft | night & dusk | Deepest directly measured basin cell (23 ft) | Micro silver jig, Tiny feather rig |
| Summer | 7 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest directly measured basin cell (23 ft) | Tiny vertical spoon, Micro jig |
| Fall | 6 to 23 ft | dusk | Deepest directly measured basin cell (23 ft) | Micro jig, Tiny silver spoon |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | dusk | Deepest directly measured basin cell (23 ft) | Tiny glow jig, Micro ice spoon |
Early season whiting use the shallows, holding in 6 to 23 ft. Even in summer they hold at 7 to 23 ft; winter keeps them in 5 to 23 ft. The chart's best answer is Directly measured lower-channel shoulder — channel edge, 12 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a small vertical jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | Directly measured lower-channel shoulder (12 ft) | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 7 to 23 ft | dawn | Deepest directly measured basin cell (23 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 4 to 23 ft | dusk | Directly measured lower-channel shoulder (12 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 5 to 23 ft | dusk | Deepest directly measured basin cell (23 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
Early season european plaice use the shallows, holding in 5 to 23 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 23 ft; winter keeps them in 7 to 23 ft. The chart's best answer is Directly measured upper-flat transition — feeding flat, 8 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 23 ft | dusk | Directly measured upper-flat transition (8 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 3 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | Directly measured upper-flat transition (8 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 5 to 23 ft | dusk | Directly measured lower-channel shoulder (12 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | midday | Deepest directly measured basin cell (23 ft) |
In spring, common sole run shallow here, mostly 5 to 23 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 23 ft, and they winter in 7 to 23 ft. Directly measured upper-flat transition is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for spring common sole. Time it for the evening. You won't need more than a light rolling-lead rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 23 ft | dusk | Directly measured upper-flat transition (8 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 2 to 23 ft | dusk | Directly measured upper-flat transition (8 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 5 to 23 ft | dusk | Directly measured lower-channel shoulder (12 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | night | Deepest directly measured basin cell (23 ft) |
Great Ouse - King's Lynn to The Wash also holds european eel (5 to 23 ft in summer), european seabass (2 to 23 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), thornback ray (4 to 23 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Great Ouse - King's Lynn to The Wash carries 8 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest directly measured basin cell, about 23 ft down.
Access data: Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Great Ouse - King's Lynn to The Wash is about 23 ft (7 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 atlantic herring, european flounder, european smelt, whiting, european plaice, common sole, european eel, european seabass, thick-lipped grey mullet, thornback ray on Great Ouse - King's Lynn to The Wash.
Deepest directly measured basin cell is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 23 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic herring in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For atlantic herring, 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.
Stradsett Hall Lake 12 mi · Narford Hall Lake 12 mi · Cockley Cley 18 mi · Gunthorpe Hall Lake 27 mi · The Lake or Melton Hall Lake 27 mi · Scoulton Mere or Saham Toney Mere 28 mi · Sea Mere or Hingham Sea Mere 31 mi · Tallington Lakes 32 mi · Green Plantation Pond 32 mi · Mitcham Pit 34 mi · Wolterton Hall Lake 35 mi · Blickling Hall Lake 36 mi
See how Great Ouse - King's Lynn to The Wash stacks up: best atlantic herring lakes in United Kingdom · best european flounder lakes in United Kingdom · best european seabass lakes in United Kingdom · best common sole 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, 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.