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Vlie Offshore is a 3,794-acre Dutch saltwater fishing section with official Rijkswaterstaat bathymetry, evidence-scoped fish targets, and mapped depth-derived fishing spots. The water tops out around 94 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.
Vlie Offshore maps at 3,794 acres behind 13.5 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (1.6) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 69% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Figure 3.9 mi of water from one end to the other, 2.8 mi at the beam. If the bite dies, Vlieland Coast is 9 mi to the south.
Vis- en dieptekaart van Vlie Offshore, Nederland: gemeten dieptelijnen (Rijkswaterstaat) tot 29 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.
When the water first warms, atlantic herring slide up into 5 to 25 ft. Summer is a 15 to 50 ft game here, winter a 20 to 60 ft one. Start at RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone. It's a feeding flat holding about 5 ft of water and rates good come spring. 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 25 ft | dawn & dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (5 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 |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: european flounder in 5 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 6 to 35 ft before dropping to 15 to 50 ft for winter. The spot to know is RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone, a feeding flat in about 5 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 25 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (5 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (11 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (11 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | open water | Small bottom jig |
Early season european plaice use the shallows, holding in 8 to 35 ft. Summer is a 6 to 40 ft game here, winter a 25 to 80 ft one. The chart's best answer is RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone — feeding flat, 11 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 | 8 to 35 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (11 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (11 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (11 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (94 ft) |
In spring, common sole run shallow here, mostly 6 to 30 ft. Summer keeps them at 3 to 30 ft, and they winter in 20 to 70 ft. RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 11 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 | 6 to 30 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (11 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (5 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (11 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | open water |
Early season whiting use the shallows, holding in 15 to 55 ft. Summer is a 20 to 70 ft game here, winter a 15 to 70 ft one. 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 | 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 |
When the water first warms, european seabass slide up into 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 2 to 30 ft game here, winter a 10 to 55 ft one. Start at RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone. It's a feeding flat holding about 5 ft of water and rates good come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (5 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone (5 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 |
Vlie 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.
Structure-wise the chart holds 5 features, led in depth by RWS bathymetry-derived fishing zone at roughly 94 ft.
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 Vlie Offshore specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Netherlands fishing regulations →
Vlie Offshore is about 94 ft (29 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 Vlie 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 5 ft of water that rates prime for european flounder in spring. 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 Vlie 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.
Vlieland Coast 9 mi · Terschelling Stable Coast 12 mi · Terschelling Coast 14 mi · Vlie Outer Tidal Basin 15 mi · Borndiep–Pinkegat West Outer 16 mi · Marsdiep Outer Tidal Basin 18 mi · Borndiep Offshore 21 mi · Borndiep–Pinkegat West Inner 22 mi · Texel Coast 23 mi · Harlingen–Lauwersoog Wadden Coast 24 mi · Borndiep–Pinkegat East 26 mi · Marsdiep Offshore 26 mi
See how Vlie 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.