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8,991-acre French Basque Coast. 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. The rocky Basque coast from Bayonne through Saint-Jean-de-Luz, including river plumes, bays and reef edges. This page covers the south central angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 184 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. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Drawn out, this is 8,993 acres of water rimmed by 17.4 miles of bank. A shoreline index of 1.3 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. About 11% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Figure 6.9 mi of water from one end to the other, 3.7 mi at the beam. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: French Basque Coast - South West, 8 mi west of here.
French Basque Coast — South Central, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 56 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.
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 Shoreline point, a good-rated point around 3 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 | Shoreline point (3 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (3 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (3 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | open water | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Early season atlantic mackerel use the shallows, holding in 5 to 45 ft. Summer is a 15 to 80 ft game here, winter a 30 to 120 ft one. The chart's best answer is SHOM-grid current seam — current seam, 72 ft, good for fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a feather rig or a small vertical jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (3 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (72 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (72 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (91 ft) | Small deep 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 Shoreline point, a point in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for garfish in spring. 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 | Shoreline point (3 ft) | Slim silver spoon, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (3 ft) | 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 |
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 flat: a feeding flat around 18 ft that scores prime in spring. 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 | SHOM-grid flat (18 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (18 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (18 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | open water |
When the water first warms, brill slide up into 10 to 45 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 50 ft, and by winter most fish are in 30 to 90 ft. If you only fish one area, make it SHOM-grid flat: a feeding flat around 18 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a small shad on a bottom jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 45 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (18 ft) | Light bottom jig |
| Summer | 6 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid flat (18 ft) | Small shad on a bottom jig |
| Fall | 12 to 60 ft | midday | SHOM-grid flat (18 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 30 to 90 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (91 ft) |
When the water first warms, thornback ray slide up into 15 to 60 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 65 ft, and by winter most fish are in 30 to 100 ft. If you only fish one area, make it SHOM-grid flat: a feeding flat around 18 ft that scores prime in spring. 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 | SHOM-grid flat (18 ft) | |
| Summer | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid flat (18 ft) | |
| Fall | 15 to 75 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (91 ft) | |
| Winter | 30 to 100 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (91 ft) |
French Basque Coast - South Central 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.
Structure-wise the chart holds 8 features, led in depth by Deepest basin at roughly 178 ft.
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 French Basque Coast - 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 →
French Basque Coast - South Central is about 184 ft (56 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 - 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.
Shoreline point is the top-rated area: a point in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for garfish in spring. 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 French Basque Coast - 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.
French Basque Coast - South West 8 mi · French Basque Coast - North Central 8 mi · French Basque Coast - North West 11 mi · Landes Coast - South 1 West 12 mi · Getaria-Higer - East 16 mi, ES · Landes Coast - South 2 West 28 mi · Matxitxako-Getaria - Central 43 mi, ES · Landes Coast - South 3 West 44 mi · Matxitxako-Getaria - North 46 mi, ES · Landes Coast - South 3 Central 48 mi · Landes Coast - South 4 West 61 mi · Landes Coast - South 4 Central 62 mi
See how French Basque Coast - South Central 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.