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Marsdiep Offshore is a 10,843-acre Dutch saltwater fishing section with official Rijkswaterstaat bathymetry, evidence-scoped fish targets, and mapped depth-derived fishing spots. The water tops out around 177 ft. The depth chart comes from Rijkswaterstaat bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Traced from the shoreline, Marsdiep Offshore runs 10,849 acres with 41.9 miles of edge, with a single island in the mix. With a shoreline index of 2.9, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. 44% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. The basin spans about 10.6 mi end to end and 4.7 mi across at its widest. The nearest mapped water is Texel Coast, 5 mi to the east.
Vis- en dieptekaart van Marsdiep Offshore, Nederland: gemeten dieptelijnen (Rijkswaterstaat) tot 54 m, met visstekken voor haring, bot. De dieptelijnen zijn berekend uit gemeten bodemhoogten van Rijkswaterstaat en het officiële lokale streefpeil (NAP). Gebruik de kaart als visgids, nooit voor navigatie.
The roster combines Wadden Sea station records and long-running regional monitoring, filtered to this saltwater habitat. It does not imply equal abundance across a tidal basin. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Haring (Atlantic Herring) | coastal monitoring | — |
| Bot (European Flounder) | coastal monitoring | — |
| Schol (European Plaice) | coastal monitoring | — |
| Tong (Common Sole) | coastal monitoring | — |
| Wijting (Whiting) | coastal monitoring | — |
| Zeebaars (European Seabass) | coastal monitoring | — |
| Spiering (European Smelt) | coastal monitoring | — |
| Paling (European Eel) | coastal monitoring | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Spring puts atlantic herring in skinny water — 5 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 50 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 60 ft. RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 14 ft, rated good for spring atlantic herring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A herring feather rig or a small silver jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (14 ft) | 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 |
Spring european flounder on Marsdiep Offshore hold shallow, usually 5 to 25 ft. They move out to 6 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 50 ft. Put RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 14 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bottom jig with spinner blade.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (14 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (31 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (31 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (31 ft) | Small bottom jig |
In spring, european plaice run shallow here, mostly 8 to 35 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 40 ft, and winter fish settle into 25 to 80 ft. RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 31 ft, rated prime for spring european plaice. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (31 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (31 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (31 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | open water |
Come spring, look for common sole tight to the bank in 6 to 30 ft. Through summer count on 3 to 30 ft; the winter hold is 20 to 70 ft. Start at RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone. It's a feeding flat holding about 26 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in the evening. A light rolling-lead rig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 30 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (26 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (26 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (31 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | open water |
In spring, whiting run shallow here, mostly 15 to 55 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 20 to 70 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 70 ft. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a small vertical jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 20 to 70 ft | dawn | open water | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 60 ft | dusk | open water | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 70 ft | dusk | open water | Compact vertical jig |
Spring puts european seabass in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 2 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 55 ft. RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 2 ft, rated good for summer european seabass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (14 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (2 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | open water | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Marsdiep Offshore also holds european smelt (25 to 70 ft in summer), european eel (6 to 28 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Marsdiep Offshore carries 7 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone, about 177 ft down.
Access data: Rijkswaterstaat Fairway Information Services. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Netherlands waters are set by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO — recreational saltwater fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Marsdiep Offshore specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Netherlands fishing regulations →
Marsdiep Offshore is about 177 ft (54 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Rijkswaterstaat bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Official coastal monitoring from Wageningen Marine Research — Dutch Wadden Sea monitoring informs the atlantic herring, european flounder, european plaice, common sole, whiting, european seabass, european smelt, european eel roster for Marsdiep Offshore. 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.
RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for european flounder in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each 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.
Fishing on Marsdiep Offshore is regulated by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO — recreational saltwater fishing). Check the official Netherlands regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Texel Coast 5 mi · Marsdiep Outer Tidal Basin 11 mi · Marsdiep Inner Tidal Basin 13 mi · North Holland Coast 15 mi · Den Helder–Harlingen Wadden Coast 18 mi · Vlieland Coast 19 mi · Vlie Inner Tidal Basin 19 mi · Vlie Outer Tidal Basin 20 mi · North Holland Stable Coast 20 mi · Vlie Offshore 26 mi · Borndiep–Pinkegat West Inner 27 mi · Borndiep–Pinkegat West Outer 33 mi
See how Marsdiep Offshore stacks up: best atlantic herring lakes in Netherlands · best european flounder lakes in Netherlands · best european seabass lakes in Netherlands · best common sole lakes in Netherlands
Browse all Netherlands fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: Rijkswaterstaat coastal and vaklodingen surveys, CC0. 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.