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250,157-acre river near Den Helder. The water tops out around 115 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Waddenzee West maps at 249,975 acres behind 128.3 miles of shoreline. With a 1.8 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. About 24% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 32.4 mi end to end and 24.6 mi across at its widest. If the bite dies, Texel Coast is 7 mi to the west.
Vis- en dieptekaart van Waddenzee West, Nederland: gemeten dieptelijnen (Rijkswaterstaat) tot 35 m, met visstekken voor haring, bot, geep. De dieptelijnen zijn berekend uit gemeten bodemhoogten van Rijkswaterstaat en het officiële lokale streefpeil (NAP). Gebruik de kaart als visgids, nooit voor navigatie.
Early season atlantic herring use the shallows, holding in 5 to 25 ft. Summer is a 15 to 50 ft game here, winter a 20 to 60 ft one. The chart's best answer is Measured coastal depth break — drop-off, 39 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a herring feather rig or a small silver jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Measured shallow feeding flat (13 ft) | Small herring feather rig, Micro jig rig |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Measured coastal depth break (39 ft) | Herring feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Fall | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Measured coastal depth break (39 ft) | Small feather rig, Compact silver spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Measured coastal depth break (51 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
In spring, european flounder run shallow here, mostly 5 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 6 to 35 ft before dropping to 15 to 50 ft for winter. Spring european flounder concentrate at Measured shallow feeding flat, a prime-rated feeding flat around 13 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a bottom jig with spinner blade most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Measured shallow feeding flat (13 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Measured shallow feeding flat (28 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Measured coastal depth break (39 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | Measured coastal depth break (39 ft) | Small bottom jig |
Spring garfish on Waddenzee West hold shallow, usually 1 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 60 ft. The chart's best answer is Measured coastal depth break — drop-off, 29 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a slim casting spoon or a surface-skipping fly.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 15 ft | dawn & midday | open water | Slim silver spoon, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Measured coastal depth break (22 ft) | Slim casting spoon, Surface-skipping fly |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Measured coastal depth break (29 ft) | Weighted slim spoon, Small silver jig |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Measured coastal depth break (51 ft) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 12 features, led in depth by Measured coastal depth break at roughly 51 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Netherlands waters are set by the Sportvisserij Nederland (zeevissen — sea angling rules) — and special regulations can apply to Waddenzee West specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Netherlands fishing regulations →
Waddenzee West is about 115 ft (35 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target atlantic herring, european flounder, garfish on Waddenzee West. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Measured shallow feeding flat is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for european flounder in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Waddenzee West is regulated by the Sportvisserij Nederland (zeevissen — sea angling rules). 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 7 mi · Marsdiep Offshore 12 mi · Waddenzee Mainland Coast West 12 mi · Vlieland Coast 13 mi · North Holland Coast 17 mi · Vlie Offshore 22 mi · North Holland Stable Coast 24 mi · Oudegaasterbrekken 26 mi · Waddenzee Central 26 mi · De Hop (Oudega) 26 mi · De Geeuw (Hemelum) 26 mi · Zandmeer (Gaastmeer) 26 mi
See how Waddenzee West stacks up: best atlantic herring lakes in Netherlands · best european flounder lakes in Netherlands · best garfish lakes in Netherlands
Browse all Netherlands fishing maps or 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.