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45,653-acre Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague. 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. Cherbourg roadstead and the Cap de la Hague approaches, with breakwaters, reefs and powerful Channel current. This page covers the north west angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 343 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:
The drawn water covers 45,689 acres wrapped in 43.6 miles of bank. A middling shoreline index (1.5) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 3% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 12.8 mi end to end and 12 mi across at its widest. If the bite dies, Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - North Central is 9 mi to the east.
Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague — North West, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 105 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 | — |
| lieu jaune (Atlantic Pollock) | official species listing | — |
| lieu noir (Saithe (Coalfish)) | official species listing | — |
| cabillaud (Atlantic Cod) | official species listing | — |
| lingue (Ling) | official species listing | — |
| orphie (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| barbue (Brill) | official species listing | — |
| raie bouclée (Thornback Ray) | official species listing | — |
| sole commune (Common Sole) | official species listing | — |
| mulet lippu (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| mulet cabot (Flathead Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| anguille européenne (European Eel) | 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 5 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 (5 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 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 Shoreline point, a point in about 5 ft of water that rates good for atlantic mackerel in spring. 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 (5 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | open water | Small deep jig |
Start shallow in spring: atlantic pollock sit in 8 to 100 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 12 to 150 ft, and winter fish settle into 35 to 220 ft. The spot to know is Rock reef, a rock pile in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic pollock in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a surface plug or a baitfish swimbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 100 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (7 ft) | Sandeel-pattern lure, Soft-plastic shad |
| Summer | 12 to 150 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Surface plug, Baitfish swimbait |
| Fall | 15 to 160 ft | dawn | Rock reef (7 ft) | Metal jig, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 35 to 220 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (172 ft) | Slow metal jig, Weighted soft plastic |
When the water first warms, saithe (coalfish) slide up into 15 to 160 ft. Summer is a 25 to 260 ft game here, winter a 45 to 320 ft one. Start at SHOM-grid current seam. It's a current seam holding about 137 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a speed jig or a heavy paddletail rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 160 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (137 ft) | Slim metal jig, Paddletail |
| Summer | 25 to 260 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (264 ft) | Speed jig, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 20 to 220 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (137 ft) | Metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 45 to 320 ft | midday | Sharp break (264 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Start shallow in spring: atlantic cod sit in 20 to 100 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 45 to 180 ft, and winter fish settle into 50 to 220 ft. The spot to know is Rock reef, a rock pile in about 7 ft of water that rates good for atlantic cod in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 20 to 100 ft | dawn | Rock reef (7 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 45 to 180 ft | dawn | Rock reef (7 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 25 to 140 ft | dawn | Rock reef (7 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 50 to 220 ft | midday | Rock reef (7 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
When the water first warms, ling slide up into 61 to 343 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 57 to 343 ft, winter 64 to 343 ft. Start at Sharp break. It's a drop-off holding about 264 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run midday. Keep a heavy vertical jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 61 to 343 ft | midday | Sharp break (264 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Summer | 57 to 343 ft | midday | Sharp break (264 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
| Fall | 59 to 343 ft | midday | Sharp break (264 ft) | Long metal jig |
| Winter | 64 to 343 ft | midday | Deepest basin (342 ft) | Heavy deep jig |
Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - North West also holds garfish (2 to 20 ft in summer), brill (6 to 50 ft in summer), thornback ray (10 to 65 ft in summer), common sole (3 to 30 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), flathead grey mullet (1 to 22 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.
The chart marks 9 structure features on Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - North West; the deepest is Deepest basin at about 342 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 Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - 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 →
Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - North West is about 343 ft (105 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, atlantic pollock, saithe (coalfish), atlantic cod, ling, garfish, brill, thornback ray, common sole, thick-lipped grey mullet, flathead grey mullet, european eel roster for Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - 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 current seam is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 137 ft of water that rates prime for saithe (coalfish) 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 Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - 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.
Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - North Central 9 mi · Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - South West 11 mi · Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - South East 17 mi · Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - North East 17 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 4 West 22 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 4 Central 25 mi · East Cotentin Coast - North West 1 27 mi · East Cotentin Coast - Middle West 1 34 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 3 West 35 mi · East Cotentin Coast - North West 2 36 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 3 Central 36 mi · East Cotentin Coast - Middle West 2 40 mi
See how Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - North West stacks up: best garfish lakes in France · best european seabass lakes in France · best common sole lakes in France · best thick-lipped grey mullet 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.