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89,322-acre French Basque Coast. North West 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 rocky Basque coast from Bayonne through Saint-Jean-de-Luz, including river plumes, bays and reef edges. This page covers the north west angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 3224 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Drawn out, this is 89,299 acres of water rimmed by 47.2 miles of bank. A shoreline index of 1.1 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. About 0% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 15.8 mi end to end and 15.3 mi across at its widest. The nearest mapped water is French Basque Coast - North Central, 8 mi to the east.
French Basque Coast — North West, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 983 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 | — |
| orphie (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| sole commune (Common Sole) | official species listing | — |
| barbue (Brill) | official species listing | — |
| raie bouclée (Thornback Ray) | official species listing | — |
| mulet lippu (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| mulet cabot (Flathead Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| tassergal (Bluefish) | official species listing | — |
| bonite à dos rayé (Atlantic Bonito) | official species listing | — |
| dorade royale (Gilthead Seabream) | official species listing | — |
| maigre (Meagre) | official species listing | — |
| anguille européenne (European Eel) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Start shallow in spring: european seabass sit in 3 to 25 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 2 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 55 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 | open water | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | open water | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Come spring, look for atlantic mackerel tight to the bank in 5 to 45 ft. They move out to 15 to 80 ft in summer and finish the year down in 30 to 120 ft. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A feather rig or a small vertical jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | open water | Small deep jig |
Spring puts garfish in skinny water — 1 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 2 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 60 ft. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A slim casting spoon or a surface-skipping fly covers the summer program.
| 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 | open water |
Early season common sole use the shallows, holding in 6 to 30 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 30 ft; winter keeps them in 20 to 70 ft. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. Tie on a light rolling-lead rig and you're in the game.
| 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 | open water | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | open water |
Early season brill use the shallows, holding in 10 to 45 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 50 ft, then a winter hold in 30 to 90 ft. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a small shad on a bottom jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 45 ft | dusk | open water | Light bottom jig |
| Summer | 6 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small shad on a bottom jig |
| Fall | 12 to 60 ft | midday | open water | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 30 to 90 ft | midday | open water |
Early season thornback ray use the shallows, holding in 15 to 60 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 65 ft, then a winter hold in 30 to 100 ft. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 60 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Summer | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | |
| Fall | 15 to 75 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Winter | 30 to 100 ft | midday | open water |
French Basque Coast - North West also holds thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), flathead grey mullet (1 to 22 ft in summer), bluefish (5 to 30 ft in summer), atlantic bonito (5 to 90 ft in summer), gilthead seabream (2 to 45 ft in summer), meagre (8 to 100 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.
French Basque Coast - North West carries 8 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest basin, about 3212 ft down.
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 French Basque Coast - North West 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 →
French Basque Coast - North West is about 3224 ft (983 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, garfish, common sole, brill, thornback ray, thick-lipped grey mullet, flathead grey mullet, bluefish, atlantic bonito, gilthead seabream, meagre, european eel roster for French Basque Coast - North West. 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.
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 French Basque Coast - North West 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.
French Basque Coast - North Central 8 mi · French Basque Coast - South West 10 mi · French Basque Coast - South Central 11 mi · Landes Coast - South 1 West 12 mi · Getaria-Higer - East 16 mi, ES · Landes Coast - South 2 West 24 mi · Matxitxako-Getaria - Central 38 mi, ES · Landes Coast - South 3 West 39 mi · Matxitxako-Getaria - North 40 mi, ES · Landes Coast - South 3 Central 43 mi · Landes Coast - South 4 West 54 mi · Landes Coast - South 4 Central 56 mi
See how French Basque Coast - North West stacks up: best bluefish 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.