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65,708-acre Blacksod Bay. South West 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 south west 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 290 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. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
The drawn water covers 65,711 acres wrapped in 75.3 miles of bank. With a 2.1 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 0% of this chart. Call it 14.7 mi long by 12.9 mi wide at the broadest reach. Its nearest charted neighbour, Clew Bay - West, is 4 mi to the southeast.
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.
Spring european seabass on Blacksod Bay - South West hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 55 ft. The chart's best answer is Shoreline point — point, 37 ft, good for fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic.
| 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 | Shoreline point (37 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | open water | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Spring puts atlantic mackerel in skinny water — 5 to 45 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 15 to 80 ft, wintering in 30 to 120 ft. Winter atlantic mackerel concentrate at Sharp break, a good-rated drop-off around 86 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A feather rig or a small vertical jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (37 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (86 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (37 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | Sharp break (86 ft) | Small deep jig |
Spring atlantic herring on Blacksod Bay - South West hold shallow, usually 5 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 50 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 60 ft. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a herring feather rig or a small silver jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | 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 | open water | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
Come spring, look for whiting tight to the bank in 15 to 55 ft. Expect a summer slide to 20 to 70 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 70 ft. Prime time lands in early morning. A small vertical jig is the honest summer answer here.
| 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 |
Spring puts european flounder in skinny water — 5 to 25 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 35 ft, wintering in 15 to 50 ft. Summer european flounder concentrate at INFOMAR measured flat, a prime-rated feeding flat around 35 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A bottom jig with spinner blade covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | open water | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | INFOMAR measured flat (35 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | INFOMAR measured flat (35 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | INFOMAR measured flat (35 ft) | Small bottom jig |
Come spring, look for european plaice tight to the bank in 8 to 35 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 40 ft, then a winter hold in 25 to 80 ft. Start at INFOMAR measured flat. It's a feeding flat holding about 35 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dusk | INFOMAR measured flat (35 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | INFOMAR measured flat (35 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | INFOMAR measured flat (35 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | open water |
Blacksod Bay - South West 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.
Structure-wise the chart holds 7 features, led in depth by Deepest basin at roughly 288 ft.
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 - South West 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 - South West is about 290 ft (88 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 - 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.
INFOMAR measured flat is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 35 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 - South West 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.
Clew Bay - West 4 mi · Blacksod Bay - Middle 11 mi · Killary Harbour - Outer 12 mi · Clew Bay - Middle 14 mi · Blacksod Bay - North 18 mi · Clew Bay - Inner 21 mi · Killary Harbour - Middle 21 mi · Broadhaven Bay - West 28 mi · Broadhaven Bay - Middle 32 mi · Broadhaven Bay - Inner 40 mi · Galway Bay - Aran West North 41 mi · Galway Bay - Aran East North 45 mi
See how Blacksod Bay - South West 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.