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65,634-acre French Basque Coast. South 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 south west angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 443 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.
On the chart, French Basque Coast - South West draws 65,695 acres inside 47.7 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.3 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 3% of this chart. The basin spans about 14.2 mi end to end and 10.2 mi across at its widest. The nearest mapped water is Getaria-Higer - East, 8 mi to the southwest.
French Basque Coast — South West, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 135 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. Top water on the chart: Shoreline point, a point in the 5 ft range, good in fall. 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 | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | 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. If you only fish one area, make it Sharp break: a drop-off around 122 ft that scores good in winter. 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 | Shoreline point (5 ft) | 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 | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | Sharp break (122 ft) | 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. Shoreline point is the standout, a point at roughly 5 ft, rated prime for spring garfish. 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 | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Slim silver spoon, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 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 |
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. Put SHOM-grid flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 44 ft that grades good for fall. 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 | SHOM-grid flat (44 ft) | 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. Put SHOM-grid flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 44 ft that grades prime for spring. 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 | SHOM-grid flat (44 ft) | Light bottom jig |
| Summer | 6 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid flat (44 ft) | Small shad on a bottom jig |
| Fall | 12 to 60 ft | midday | SHOM-grid flat (44 ft) | 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. Put SHOM-grid flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 44 ft that grades prime for 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 (44 ft) | |
| Summer | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid flat (44 ft) | |
| Fall | 15 to 75 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (44 ft) | |
| Winter | 30 to 100 ft | midday | open water |
French Basque Coast - South 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 - South West carries 9 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest basin, about 443 ft down.
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 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 - South West is about 443 ft (135 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 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.
Shoreline point is the top-rated area: a point in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for garfish in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 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.
Getaria-Higer - East 8 mi, ES · French Basque Coast - South Central 8 mi · French Basque Coast - North West 10 mi · French Basque Coast - North Central 13 mi · Landes Coast - South 1 West 18 mi · Landes Coast - South 2 West 32 mi · Matxitxako-Getaria - Central 35 mi, ES · Matxitxako-Getaria - North 38 mi, ES · Landes Coast - South 3 West 48 mi · Landes Coast - South 3 Central 52 mi · Landes Coast - South 4 West 64 mi · Nerbioi / Nervión Exterior Transición 65 mi, ES
See how French Basque Coast - South 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.