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55,701-acre Calais and Cap Gris-Nez. 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 Strait of Dover shore around Calais and Cap Gris-Nez, with strong current, headland banks and harbor structure. This page covers the south west angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 234 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, Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - South West draws 55,723 acres inside 40.9 miles of shoreline. Its 1.2 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 5% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. End to end it runs roughly 13.8 mi, about 11.1 mi across. For a second option, Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - South East lies 9 mi northeast.
Calais and Cap Gris-Nez — South West, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 71 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.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: european seabass in 3 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 2 to 30 ft, wintering in 10 to 55 ft. Top water on the chart: Shoreline point, a point in the 10 ft range, good in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (10 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (10 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (10 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | open water | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
When the water first warms, atlantic mackerel slide up into 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. If you only fish one area, make it Shoreline point: a point around 10 ft that scores good in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a feather rig or a small vertical jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (10 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (94 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (10 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (117 ft) | Small deep jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: european plaice in 8 to 35 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 6 to 40 ft before dropping to 25 to 80 ft for winter. The spot to know is SHOM-grid flat, a feeding flat in about 23 ft of water that rates prime for european plaice in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a light spooned bottom rig or a beaded trace gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 35 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (23 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid flat (23 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (23 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | open water |
Spring common sole on Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - South West hold shallow, usually 6 to 30 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 3 to 30 ft in summer, 20 to 70 ft once it turns cold. Put SHOM-grid flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 23 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run the evening. The summer box starts with a light rolling-lead rig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 30 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (23 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (23 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (23 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | open water |
When the water first warms, european flounder slide up into 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. If you only fish one area, make it SHOM-grid flat: a feeding flat around 23 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a bottom jig with spinner blade rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (23 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid flat (23 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (23 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | SHOM-grid flat (23 ft) | Small bottom jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: whiting in 15 to 55 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 20 to 70 ft before dropping to 15 to 70 ft for winter. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a small vertical jig gets it done.
| 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 |
Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - South 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 9 structure features on Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - South West; the deepest is Deepest basin at about 225 ft.
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 Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - 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 →
Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - South West is about 234 ft (71 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 Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - 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.
SHOM-grid flat is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 23 ft of water that rates prime for european plaice in spring. Open the map above to see every rated 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 Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - 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.
Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - South East 9 mi · Boulogne Bay - North East 10 mi · Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - North West 10 mi · Boulogne Bay - North West 11 mi · Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - North East 15 mi · Boulogne Bay - South East 20 mi · Boulogne Bay - South West 20 mi · Dunkirk and Flanders Coast - West 25 mi · Greatstone Lake 26 mi, UK · Dungeness Gravel Pit 27 mi, UK · Southern Opal Coast - North East 30 mi · Southern Opal Coast - North West 31 mi
See how Calais and Cap Gris-Nez - South 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.