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4,538-acre Baie de Douarnenez. South Central France saltwater fishing map with official SHOM 100 m bathymetry, source-qualified fishing spots, official regional fish evidence, seasonal forage guidance, public shore-use context and current-rule links. Douarnenez Bay and the Crozon headlands, with sheltered basin water, reefs and exposed Atlantic entrances. This page covers the south central angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 95 ft. The depth chart comes from Shom (Service hydrographique et océanographique de la Marine) bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The outline encloses 4,537 acres, worked by 14.5 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (1.5) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 24% of this chart. Figure 5.8 mi of water from one end to the other, 2.4 mi at the beam. If the bite dies, Baie d’Audierne - North Central is 7 mi to the south.
Baie de Douarnenez — South Central, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 29 m; spots pour bar commun, maquereau commun. Pour préparer la pêche, jamais pour naviguer. Les profondeurs et les points de structure proviennent de la grille bathymétrique officielle du Shom. Les données servent à préparer la pêche et ne doivent jamais être utilisées pour la navigation.
Regional occurrence supports a search target, not equal abundance, child-specific catch rate, retention permission or a promised catch. Current national, EU, regional, protected-area and species rules always control. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| bar commun (European Seabass) | official species listing | — |
| maquereau commun (Atlantic Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
| lieu jaune (Atlantic Pollock) | official species listing | — |
| lieu noir (Saithe (Coalfish)) | official species listing | — |
| cabillaud (Atlantic Cod) | official species listing | — |
| lingue (Ling) | official species listing | — |
| orphie (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| barbue (Brill) | official species listing | — |
| raie bouclée (Thornback Ray) | official species listing | — |
| sole commune (Common Sole) | official species listing | — |
| mulet lippu (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| mulet cabot (Flathead Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| anguille européenne (European Eel) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Come spring, look for european seabass tight to the bank in 3 to 25 ft. They move out to 2 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 55 ft. If you only fish one area, make it SHOM-grid current seam: a current seam around 38 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (7 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (7 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (38 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (48 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Start shallow in spring: atlantic mackerel sit in 5 to 45 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 80 ft; cold water stacks them in 24 to 95 ft. Top water on the chart: SHOM-grid current seam, a current seam in the 38 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a feather rig or a small vertical jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (38 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (20 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (38 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 24 to 95 ft | midday | Deepest basin (95 ft) | Small deep jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic pollock in 8 to 95 ft. The depth story barely changes: 8 to 95 ft through summer, 15 to 95 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Sharp break, a drop-off in the 20 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a surface plug or a baitfish swimbait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 95 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (7 ft) | Sandeel-pattern lure, Soft-plastic shad |
| Summer | 8 to 95 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (7 ft) | Surface plug, Baitfish swimbait |
| Fall | 9 to 95 ft | dawn | Shoreline point (7 ft) | Metal jig, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 15 to 95 ft | midday | Sharp break (20 ft) | Slow metal jig, Weighted soft plastic |
Come spring, look for saithe (coalfish) tight to the bank in 9 to 95 ft. Through summer count on 9 to 95 ft; the winter hold is 13 to 95 ft. If you only fish one area, make it SHOM-grid current seam: a current seam around 38 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A speed jig or a heavy paddletail is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 9 to 95 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (38 ft) | Slim metal jig, Paddletail |
| Summer | 9 to 95 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (20 ft) | Speed jig, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 9 to 95 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (38 ft) | Metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 13 to 95 ft | midday | Deepest basin (95 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic cod in 19 to 95 ft. The depth story barely changes: 24 to 95 ft through summer, 22 to 95 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Deepest basin, a deep basin in the 95 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 19 to 95 ft | dawn | Sharp break (20 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 24 to 95 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (95 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 17 to 95 ft | dawn | Sharp break (20 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 22 to 95 ft | midday | Deepest basin (95 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Come spring, look for ling tight to the bank in 17 to 95 ft. Through summer count on 16 to 95 ft; the winter hold is 18 to 95 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Sharp break: a drop-off around 20 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is midday. A heavy vertical jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 17 to 95 ft | midday | Sharp break (20 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Summer | 16 to 95 ft | midday | Sharp break (20 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
| Fall | 16 to 95 ft | midday | Sharp break (20 ft) | Long metal jig |
| Winter | 18 to 95 ft | midday | Deepest basin (95 ft) | Heavy deep jig |
Baie de Douarnenez - South Central also holds garfish (2 to 20 ft in summer), brill (6 to 50 ft in summer), thornback ray (10 to 65 ft in summer), common sole (3 to 30 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), flathead grey mullet (1 to 22 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.
7 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deepest basin, around 95 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: European Environment Agency — 2025 Bathing Water Directive Sites (France). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for France waters are set by the Légifrance (current French recreational sea-fishing minimum sizes) — and special regulations can apply to Baie de Douarnenez - South Central specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish. French recreational sea-fishing rules combine current national and European species measures with façade, prefectural, marine-protected-area, harbour and local access controls. Check live minimum sizes, quotas, seasonal or method closures, marking requirements and any no-take zone before every trip. A SHOM contour, fishing-spot marker or designated bathing-water lead is planning context only and never permission to fish, retain a catch, park, launch or enter restricted shore or port property.
Check the official France fishing regulations →
French Ministry for Ecological Transition — recreational sea fishing →
Check special-area and water-specific rules →
Check official shore-access information →
Baie de Douarnenez - South Central is about 95 ft (29 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Shom (Service hydrographique et océanographique de la Marine) bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Official coastal monitoring from Ifremer EVHOE and PELGAS regional survey evidence informs the european seabass, atlantic mackerel, atlantic pollock, saithe (coalfish), atlantic cod, ling, garfish, brill, thornback ray, common sole, thick-lipped grey mullet, flathead grey mullet, european eel roster for Baie de Douarnenez - South Central. 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.
SHOM-grid current seam is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 38 ft of water that rates prime for european seabass in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For european seabass, 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 Baie de Douarnenez - South Central is regulated by the Légifrance (current French recreational sea-fishing minimum sizes). Check the official France regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Baie d’Audierne - North Central 7 mi · Baie de Douarnenez - South West 7 mi · Baie d’Audierne - North East 10 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 4 12 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 3 13 mi · Baie d’Audierne - North West 14 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 5 14 mi · Baie d’Audierne - South Central 19 mi · Iroise Sea - South West 2 20 mi · Rade de Brest - South West 22 mi · Baie d’Audierne - South East 22 mi · Rade de Brest - South Central 22 mi
See how Baie de Douarnenez - South Central stacks up: best garfish lakes in France · best european seabass lakes in France · best common sole lakes in France · best thick-lipped grey mullet lakes in France
Browse all France fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.