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Noordzeekanaal is a 5,392-acre Dutch saltwater fishing section with official Rijkswaterstaat bathymetry, evidence-scoped fish targets, and mapped depth-derived fishing spots. The water tops out around 76 ft. The depth chart comes from Rijkswaterstaat bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Traced from the shoreline, Noordzeekanaal runs 5,392 acres with 146.9 miles of edge, broken up by 18 islands. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 14.3) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 51% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 19.1 mi with a 4-mi widest point. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Rijnland Coast, 11 mi west of here.
Vis- en dieptekaart van Noordzeekanaal, Nederland: gemeten dieptelijnen (Rijkswaterstaat) tot 23 m, met visstekken voor haring, bot, baars. De dieptelijnen zijn berekend uit gemeten bodemhoogten van Rijkswaterstaat en het officiële lokale streefpeil (NAP). Gebruik de kaart als visgids, nooit voor navigatie.
The canal roster preserves its freshwater and diadromous targets while adding only habitat-compatible coastal species. It is a mixed evidence roster, not a same-day catch report. 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 | — |
| Zeebaars (European Seabass) | coastal monitoring | — |
| Spiering (European Smelt) | coastal monitoring | — |
| Paling (European Eel) | coastal monitoring | — |
| Baars (European Perch) | coastal monitoring | — |
| Snoekbaars (Zander) | coastal monitoring | — |
| Diklipharder (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | coastal monitoring | — |
Official species-evidence source.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic herring in 5 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 50 ft before dropping to 20 to 60 ft for winter. The spot to know is RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone, a deep basin in about 51 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic herring in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a herring feather rig or a small silver jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (19 ft) | Small herring feather rig, Micro jig rig |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (51 ft) | 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 | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (51 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
When the water first warms, european flounder slide up into 5 to 25 ft. Summer is a 6 to 35 ft game here, winter a 15 to 50 ft one. Start at RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone. It's a feeding flat holding about 19 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a bottom jig with spinner blade rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (19 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (19 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (19 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (51 ft) | Small bottom jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: european seabass in 3 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 30 ft before dropping to 10 to 55 ft for winter. The spot to know is RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone, a deep basin in about 51 ft of water that rates good for european seabass in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (19 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (19 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 | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (51 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Come spring, look for european smelt tight to the bank in 3 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 25 to 70 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 65 ft. Start at RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone. It's a deep basin holding about 51 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A tiny vertical spoon or a micro jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | night & dusk | open water | Micro silver jig, Tiny feather rig |
| Summer | 25 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (51 ft) | Tiny vertical spoon, Micro jig |
| Fall | 15 to 55 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (51 ft) | Micro jig, Tiny silver spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 65 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (51 ft) | Tiny glow jig, Micro ice spoon |
Spring puts european eel in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 28 ft, wintering in 18 to 50 ft. Winter european eel concentrate at RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone, a prime-rated deep basin around 51 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dusk & night | open water | |
| Summer | 6 to 28 ft | night & dusk | open water | |
| Fall | 10 to 38 ft | night | open water | |
| Winter | 18 to 50 ft | midday | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (51 ft) |
Start shallow in spring: european perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 28 ft; cold water stacks them in 12 to 33 ft. Top water on the chart: RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone, a feeding flat in the 12 ft range, good in spring. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small crankbait (perch pattern) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (12 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner #1-2 |
| Summer | 8 to 28 ft | dawn | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (8 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (19 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (19 ft) | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
Noordzeekanaal also holds zander (15 to 35 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Noordzeekanaal carries 12 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone, about 52 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 Noordzeekanaal specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Netherlands fishing regulations →
Noordzeekanaal is about 76 ft (23 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 — transitional-water monitoring informs the atlantic herring, european flounder, european seabass, european smelt, european eel, european perch, zander, thick-lipped grey mullet roster for Noordzeekanaal. 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 deep basin in about 51 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic herring in winter. Open the map above to see every rated 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 Noordzeekanaal 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.
Rijnland Coast 11 mi · Markermeer 19 mi · South Holland Stable Coast 23 mi · Randmeren-zuid 23 mi · Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal Noordpand 24 mi · Eemnesservaart 24 mi · Bloklandswetering 26 mi · Eem 26 mi · Praamgracht 26 mi · Noorderwetering 26 mi · Haarsewetering 27 mi · Delfland Coast 29 mi
See how Noordzeekanaal stacks up: best zander lakes in Netherlands · best european perch lakes in Netherlands · best atlantic herring lakes in Netherlands · best european flounder lakes in Netherlands
Browse all Netherlands fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: Rijkswaterstaat measured bed elevations and official target water levels, 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.