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40,348-acre Blacksod Bay. Middle saltwater fishing map with official INFOMAR survey bathymetry, measured-cell fishing spots, official fish evidence, seasonal forage guidance, access context and current-rule links. The middle trip-scale survey reach of Blacksod Bay, retaining only official survey-backed seabed cells that pass the Ireland release gates. The water tops out around 247 ft. The depth chart comes from INFOMAR (Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute) bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Blacksod Bay - Middle maps at 40,368 acres behind 99.1 miles of shoreline, with 3 islands in the mix. With a shoreline index of 3.5, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 13% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 19.7 mi end to end and 9.4 mi across at its widest. Its nearest charted neighbour, Blacksod Bay - North, is 8 mi to the north.
Marine Institute spawning, nursery, observation and range layers support the principal surveyed pelagic and groundfish. IFI's national and regional sea-angling publications support additional habitat-compatible recreational targets. This is occurrence and search guidance, not equal abundance, a section-level population estimate or a promised catch. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bass (European Seabass) | official species listing | — |
| Mackerel (Atlantic Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
| Herring (Atlantic Herring) | official species listing | — |
| Whiting (Whiting) | official species listing | — |
| Flounder (European Flounder) | official species listing | — |
| Plaice (European Plaice) | official species listing | — |
| Sole (Common Sole) | official species listing | — |
| Thornback ray (Thornback Ray) | official species listing | — |
| Thick-lipped grey mullet (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| Garfish (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| Sea trout (Sea Trout) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
When the water first warms, european seabass slide up into 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 2 to 30 ft game here, winter a 10 to 55 ft one. Start at Shoreline point. It's a point holding about 12 ft of water and rates good come fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (12 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (12 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (12 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | open water | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic mackerel in 5 to 45 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 80 ft before dropping to 30 to 120 ft for winter. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 64 ft of water that rates good for atlantic mackerel in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a feather rig or a small vertical jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (12 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (64 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (64 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | Sharp break (64 ft) | Small deep jig |
When the water first warms, atlantic herring slide up into 5 to 25 ft. Summer is a 15 to 50 ft game here, winter a 20 to 60 ft one. Start at Sharp break. It's a drop-off holding about 64 ft of water and rates good come winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a herring feather rig or a small silver jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (12 ft) | Small herring feather rig, Micro jig rig |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Herring feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Fall | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small feather rig, Compact silver spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Sharp break (64 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
Early season whiting use the shallows, holding in 15 to 55 ft. Summer is a 20 to 70 ft game here, winter a 15 to 70 ft one. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a small vertical jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 20 to 70 ft | dawn | open water | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 60 ft | dusk | open water | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 70 ft | dusk | open water | Compact vertical jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: european flounder in 5 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 6 to 35 ft before dropping to 15 to 50 ft for winter. The spot to know is Feeding flat, a feeding flat in about 33 ft of water that rates prime for european flounder in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bottom jig with spinner blade gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (33 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (33 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (33 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | Feeding flat (33 ft) | Small bottom jig |
Early season european plaice use the shallows, holding in 8 to 35 ft. Summer is a 6 to 40 ft game here, winter a 25 to 80 ft one. The chart's best answer is Feeding flat — feeding flat, 33 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (33 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (33 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (33 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | open water |
Blacksod Bay - Middle also holds common sole (3 to 30 ft in summer), thornback ray (10 to 65 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), garfish (2 to 20 ft in summer), sea trout (15 to 50 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Blacksod Bay - Middle carries 7 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest basin, about 247 ft down.
The complete Marine Institute Fishing Ports layer returned no port point inside this operational section. DepthScout does not substitute a nearby road, beach or community slipway as verified public fishing access; confirm legal access, parking, tides and local restrictions before visiting.
Private land and private launches need the owner's permission — please ask first.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Ireland waters are set by the Inland Fisheries Ireland (current sea-angling regulations) — and special regulations can apply to Blacksod Bay - Middle specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish. Check the current national and water-specific rules before every trip, including bass measures, the 2026 recreational pollack controls, salmon and sea-trout licences and river-specific status, protected areas, harbour directions, private land and local signs. A mapped fishing port or measured seabed feature is not permission to fish, park, launch or enter a working harbour.
Check the official Ireland fishing regulations →
Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (2026 salmon and sea-trout status) →
Check special-area and water-specific rules →
Check official shore-access information →
Blacksod Bay - Middle is about 247 ft (75 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from INFOMAR (Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute) bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Official coastal monitoring from Marine Institute and Inland Fisheries Ireland informs the european seabass, atlantic mackerel, atlantic herring, whiting, european flounder, european plaice, common sole, thornback ray, thick-lipped grey mullet, garfish, sea trout roster for Blacksod Bay - Middle. 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.
Feeding flat is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 33 ft of water that rates prime for european flounder in summer. 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 Blacksod Bay - Middle is regulated by the Inland Fisheries Ireland (current sea-angling regulations). Check the official Ireland regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Blacksod Bay - North 8 mi · Blacksod Bay - South West 11 mi · Clew Bay - West 12 mi · Clew Bay - Middle 16 mi · Broadhaven Bay - West 19 mi · Clew Bay - Inner 21 mi · Broadhaven Bay - Middle 21 mi · Killary Harbour - Outer 22 mi · Killary Harbour - Middle 28 mi · Broadhaven Bay - Inner 29 mi · Killala Bay - Outer 43 mi · Galway Bay - Aran West North 50 mi
See how Blacksod Bay - Middle stacks up: best sea trout lakes in Ireland · best atlantic herring lakes in Ireland · best european flounder lakes in Ireland · best garfish lakes in Ireland
Browse all Ireland fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: INFOMAR (Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute) INFOMAR All Survey bathymetry mosaic (Source-survey vertical references retained in the INFOMAR All Survey mosaic; 100% measured, 0% source-interpolated). 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.