Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeSalt water depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
12,299-acre Bassin d’Arcachon. 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. Arcachon Basin, its tidal passes and adjacent ocean bars, with channels, eelgrass, shellfish flats and mobile sand. This page covers the middle central angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 64 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's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Drawn out, this is 12,296 acres of water rimmed by 65.3 miles of bank. The 4.2 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Roughly 70% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Tip to tip the water measures near 8 mi with a 7.7-mi widest point. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Bassin d’Arcachon - Middle West, 10 mi west of here.
Bassin d’Arcachon — Middle Central, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 20 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. Summer european seabass concentrate at SHOM-grid current seam, a prime-rated current seam around 26 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 | SHOM-grid current seam (26 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (26 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (26 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (32 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Early season atlantic mackerel use the shallows, holding in 5 to 45 ft. Summer is a 12 to 64 ft game here, winter a 16 to 64 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deepest basin — deep basin, 62 ft, prime for summer. 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 | SHOM-grid current seam (26 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 12 to 64 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (62 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 64 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (26 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 16 to 64 ft | midday | Deepest basin (62 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 13 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 (13 ft) | Slim silver spoon, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (13 ft) | Slim casting spoon, Surface-skipping fly |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (26 ft) | Weighted slim spoon, Small silver jig |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Deepest basin (62 ft) |
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 18 to 64 ft. If you only fish one area, make it SHOM-grid flat: a feeding flat around 6 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 (6 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (6 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (32 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 18 to 64 ft | night | Deepest basin (62 ft) |
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 19 to 64 ft. If you only fish one area, make it SHOM-grid flat: a feeding flat around 6 ft that scores prime in summer. 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 channel edge (32 ft) | Light bottom jig |
| Summer | 6 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid flat (6 ft) | Small shad on a bottom jig |
| Fall | 12 to 60 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (32 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 19 to 64 ft | midday | Deepest basin (62 ft) |
When the water first warms, thornback ray slide up into 15 to 60 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 64 ft, and by winter most fish are in 19 to 64 ft. If you only fish one area, make it SHOM-grid channel edge: a channel edge around 32 ft that scores prime in fall. 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 channel edge (32 ft) | |
| Summer | 10 to 64 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (32 ft) | |
| Fall | 13 to 64 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (32 ft) | |
| Winter | 19 to 64 ft | midday | Deepest basin (62 ft) |
Bassin d’Arcachon - Middle 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 (4 to 64 ft in summer), gilthead seabream (2 to 45 ft in summer), meagre (5 to 64 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.
Bassin d’Arcachon - Middle Central carries 9 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest basin, about 62 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 Bassin d’Arcachon - 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 →
Bassin d’Arcachon - Middle Central is about 64 ft (20 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 Bassin d’Arcachon - 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 current seam is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 26 ft of water that rates prime for european seabass in summer. The interactive chart above rates every 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 Bassin d’Arcachon - 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.
Bassin d’Arcachon - Middle West 10 mi · Bassin d’Arcachon - South West 14 mi · Bassin d’Arcachon - North West 17 mi · Landes Coast - South 4 Central 25 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 1 West 2 26 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 1 West 1 26 mi · Landes Coast - South 4 West 28 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 1 West 4 37 mi · Landes Coast - South 3 Central 39 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 2 39 mi · Gironde Estuary - South 2 West 1 39 mi · Landes Coast - South 3 West 43 mi
See how Bassin d’Arcachon - Middle 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.