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81,066-acre Baie de Seine. Middle 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. The Seine estuary and eastern Normandy bay, an extensively surveyed nursery and mixed sand, channel and plume system. This page covers the middle central angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 121 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. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Traced from the shoreline, Baie de Seine - Middle Central runs 81,035 acres with 44.9 miles of edge. At index 1.1 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. 0% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 15.4 mi long by 15 mi wide at the broadest reach. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Baie de Seine - Middle East, 10 mi east of here.
Baie de Seine — Middle Central, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 37 m; spots pour bar commun, sole commune. 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 | — |
| sole commune (Common Sole) | official species listing | — |
| flet commun (European Flounder) | official species listing | — |
| plie commune (European Plaice) | official species listing | — |
| merlan (Whiting) | official species listing | — |
| orphie (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| maquereau commun (Atlantic Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
| mulet lippu (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| mulet cabot (Flathead Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| barbue (Brill) | official species listing | — |
| raie bouclée (Thornback Ray) | official species listing | — |
| anguille européenne (European Eel) | official species listing | — |
| saumon atlantique (Atlantic Salmon) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
In spring, european seabass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 30 ft before dropping to 10 to 55 ft for winter. Fall european seabass concentrate at SHOM-grid point, a good-rated point around 39 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid point (39 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (60 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
When the water first warms, common sole slide up into 6 to 30 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 30 ft, winter 20 to 70 ft. If you only fish one area, make it SHOM-grid channel edge: a channel edge around 60 ft that scores good in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. Keep a light rolling-lead rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 30 ft | dusk | open water | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | open water | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (44 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | SHOM-grid channel edge (60 ft) |
Early season european flounder use the shallows, holding in 5 to 25 ft. Summer is a 6 to 35 ft game here, winter a 15 to 50 ft one. The chart's best answer is Feeding flat — feeding flat, 44 ft, good for fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a bottom jig with spinner blade and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | open water | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (44 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (44 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | SHOM-grid current seam (48 ft) | Small bottom jig |
Spring puts european plaice in skinny water — 8 to 35 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 40 ft, wintering in 25 to 80 ft. Summer european plaice concentrate at SHOM-grid shoal, a good-rated gravel shoal around 39 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid shoal (39 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid shoal (39 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (44 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (60 ft) |
Spring puts whiting in skinny water — 15 to 55 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 20 to 70 ft, wintering in 15 to 70 ft. Fall whiting concentrate at SHOM-grid channel edge, a prime-rated channel edge around 60 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A small vertical jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (60 ft) | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 20 to 70 ft | dawn | SHOM-grid channel edge (60 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 60 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (60 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 70 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (60 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: garfish in 1 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 20 ft before dropping to 20 to 60 ft for winter. The spot to know is SHOM-grid current seam, a current seam in about 48 ft of water that rates good for garfish in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a slim casting spoon or a surface-skipping fly gets it done.
| 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 | open water | Slim casting spoon, Surface-skipping fly |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Weighted slim spoon, Small silver jig |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | SHOM-grid current seam (48 ft) |
Baie de Seine - Middle Central also holds atlantic mackerel (15 to 80 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), flathead grey mullet (1 to 22 ft in summer), brill (6 to 50 ft in summer), thornback ray (10 to 65 ft in summer), european eel (6 to 28 ft in summer), atlantic salmon (20 to 70 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 8 features, led in depth by Deepest basin at roughly 121 ft.
No official 2025 EEA designated bathing-water point matched within 400 metres of this SHOM-grid shoreline. This is an access-evidence gap, not a statement that public fishing access does not exist. Verify local fishing rights, land ownership, posted restrictions, protected areas, tidal and surf safety, and municipal permission before entry.
Private land and private launches need the owner's permission — please ask first.
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 Seine - Middle 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 Seine - Middle Central is about 121 ft (37 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 CGFS and coastal estuary monitoring regional survey evidence informs the european seabass, common sole, european flounder, european plaice, whiting, garfish, atlantic mackerel, thick-lipped grey mullet, flathead grey mullet, brill, thornback ray, european eel, atlantic salmon roster for Baie de Seine - Middle 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 channel edge is the top-rated area: a channel edge in about 60 ft of water that rates prime for whiting in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each 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 Seine - Middle 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 de Seine - Middle East 10 mi · Baie de Seine - South Central 10 mi · Baie de Seine - Middle West 11 mi · Baie de Seine - North Central 12 mi · Baie de Seine - South East 13 mi · Baie de Seine - South West 14 mi · Baie de Seine - North East 16 mi · Baie de Seine - North West 16 mi · East Cotentin Coast - Middle West 4 21 mi · East Cotentin Coast - South West 4 23 mi · East Cotentin Coast - North West 4 25 mi · Alabaster Coast - South West 1 30 mi
See how Baie de Seine - Middle Central stacks up: best european flounder lakes in France · best garfish lakes in France · best european seabass lakes in France · best common sole 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.