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57,236-acre Boulogne Bay. North 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. Boulogne-sur-Mer harbor approaches and the surrounding Channel bay, where tidal current crosses sand, rock and breakwater edges. This page covers the north west angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 209 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. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Traced from the shoreline, Boulogne Bay - North West runs 57,258 acres with 38.8 miles of edge. Its 1.2 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 1% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Call it 13.1 mi long by 12.3 mi wide at the broadest reach. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Boulogne Bay - North East, 6 mi east of here.
Boulogne Bay — North West, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 64 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 | — |
| plie commune (European Plaice) | official species listing | — |
| sole commune (Common Sole) | official species listing | — |
| flet commun (European Flounder) | official species listing | — |
| merlan (Whiting) | official species listing | — |
| orphie (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| hareng (Atlantic Herring) | official species listing | — |
| barbue (Brill) | official species listing | — |
| raie bouclée (Thornback Ray) | official species listing | — |
| mulet lippu (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| lieu jaune (Atlantic Pollock) | official species listing | — |
| cabillaud (Atlantic Cod) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Spring puts european seabass in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 2 to 30 ft, wintering in 10 to 55 ft. Fall european seabass concentrate at SHOM-grid shoal, a good-rated gravel shoal around 38 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic covers the summer program.
| 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 | SHOM-grid shoal (38 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | open water | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Spring atlantic mackerel on Boulogne Bay - North West hold shallow, usually 5 to 45 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 80 ft, and by winter most fish are in 30 to 120 ft. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 97 ft, good for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a feather rig or a small vertical jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid shoal (38 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (84 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (84 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | Sharp break (97 ft) | Small deep jig |
In spring, european plaice run shallow here, mostly 8 to 35 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 6 to 40 ft before dropping to 25 to 80 ft for winter. Summer european plaice concentrate at SHOM-grid shoal, a good-rated gravel shoal around 38 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid shoal (38 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid shoal (38 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (45 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | open water |
Come spring, look for common sole tight to the bank in 6 to 30 ft. Through summer count on 3 to 30 ft; the winter hold is 20 to 70 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Feeding flat: a feeding flat around 45 ft that scores good in fall. Best bite is the evening. A light rolling-lead rig is the honest summer answer here.
| 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 | Feeding flat (45 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | open water |
Spring european flounder on Boulogne Bay - North West hold shallow, usually 5 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 50 ft. The chart's best answer is Feeding flat — feeding flat, 45 ft, good for fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bottom jig with spinner blade.
| 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 | Feeding flat (45 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (45 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | Feeding flat (45 ft) | Small bottom jig |
In spring, whiting run shallow here, mostly 15 to 55 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 20 to 70 ft before dropping to 15 to 70 ft for winter. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a small vertical jig most summer days.
| 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 |
Boulogne Bay - North West also holds garfish (2 to 20 ft in summer), atlantic herring (15 to 50 ft in summer), brill (6 to 50 ft in summer), thornback ray (10 to 65 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), atlantic pollock (12 to 150 ft in summer), atlantic cod (45 to 180 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 7 structure features on Boulogne Bay - North West; the deepest is Deepest basin at about 207 ft.
No official 2025 EEA designated bathing-water point matched within 400 metres of this SHOM-grid shoreline. This is an access-evidence gap, not a statement that public fishing access does not exist. Verify local fishing rights, land ownership, posted restrictions, protected areas, tidal and surf safety, and municipal permission before entry.
Private land and private launches need the owner's permission — please ask first.
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 Boulogne Bay - North 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 →
Boulogne Bay - North West is about 209 ft (64 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 CGFS and coastal estuary monitoring regional survey evidence informs the european seabass, atlantic mackerel, european plaice, common sole, european flounder, whiting, garfish, atlantic herring, brill, thornback ray, thick-lipped grey mullet, atlantic pollock, atlantic cod roster for Boulogne Bay - North 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.
SHOM-grid shoal is the top-rated area: a gravel shoal in about 38 ft of water that rates good for european plaice in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Boulogne Bay - North 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.
Boulogne Bay - North East 6 mi · Boulogne Bay - South West 10 mi · Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - South West 11 mi · Boulogne Bay - South East 11 mi · Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - South East 19 mi · Southern Opal Coast - North West 20 mi · Southern Opal Coast - North East 20 mi · Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - North West 20 mi · Dungeness Gravel Pit 24 mi, UK · Greatstone Lake 24 mi, UK · Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - North East 26 mi · Southern Opal Coast - South East 30 mi
See how Boulogne Bay - North West stacks up: best atlantic herring lakes in France · best european flounder lakes in France · best garfish lakes in France · best european seabass 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.