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42,600-acre Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague. 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. Cherbourg roadstead and the Cap de la Hague approaches, with breakwaters, reefs and powerful Channel current. This page covers the south west angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 109 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 42,587 acres wrapped in 32.8 miles of bank. Its 1.1 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 3% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 11.1 mi end to end and 9.3 mi across at its widest. Its nearest charted neighbour, Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - North West, is 11 mi to the north.
Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague — South West, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 33 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 15 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 (15 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (15 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (15 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (55 ft) | 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 27 to 109 ft for winter. The spot to know is SHOM-grid current seam, a current seam in about 44 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic mackerel in fall. 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 | SHOM-grid current seam (44 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (46 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (44 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 27 to 109 ft | midday | Deepest basin (108 ft) | Small deep jig |
Start shallow in spring: atlantic pollock sit in 8 to 100 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 9 to 109 ft, and winter fish settle into 17 to 109 ft. The spot to know is Shoreline point, a point in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic pollock in summer. 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 (5 ft) | Sandeel-pattern lure, Soft-plastic shad |
| Summer | 9 to 109 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (15 ft) | Surface plug, Baitfish swimbait |
| Fall | 10 to 109 ft | dawn | Rock reef (5 ft) | Metal jig, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 17 to 109 ft | midday | Sharp break (46 ft) | Slow metal jig, Weighted soft plastic |
When the water first warms, saithe (coalfish) slide up into 10 to 109 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 10 to 109 ft, winter 15 to 109 ft. Start at SHOM-grid current seam. It's a current seam holding about 44 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 | 10 to 109 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (44 ft) | Slim metal jig, Paddletail |
| Summer | 10 to 109 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (46 ft) | Speed jig, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 10 to 109 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (44 ft) | Metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 15 to 109 ft | midday | Deepest basin (108 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Start shallow in spring: atlantic cod sit in 20 to 100 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 27 to 109 ft, and winter fish settle into 25 to 109 ft. The spot to know is Deepest basin, a deep basin in about 108 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic cod in winter. 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 (5 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 27 to 109 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (108 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 19 to 109 ft | dawn | Rock reef (5 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 25 to 109 ft | midday | Deepest basin (108 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
When the water first warms, ling slide up into 19 to 109 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 18 to 109 ft, winter 20 to 109 ft. Start at Sharp break. It's a drop-off holding about 46 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 | 19 to 109 ft | midday | Sharp break (46 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Summer | 18 to 109 ft | midday | Sharp break (46 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
| Fall | 19 to 109 ft | midday | Sharp break (46 ft) | Long metal jig |
| Winter | 20 to 109 ft | midday | Deepest basin (108 ft) | Heavy deep jig |
Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - South 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.
Structure-wise the chart holds 9 features, led in depth by Deepest basin at roughly 108 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 - 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 →
Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - South West is about 109 ft (33 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 - 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 current seam is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 44 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic mackerel in fall. The interactive chart above rates every 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 - 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.
Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - North West 11 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 4 West 11 mi · Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - North Central 14 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 4 Central 15 mi · Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - South East 17 mi · Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - North East 21 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 3 West 24 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 3 Central 26 mi · East Cotentin Coast - North West 1 29 mi · East Cotentin Coast - Middle West 1 31 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 3 East 32 mi · East Cotentin Coast - North West 2 37 mi
See how Cherbourg and Cap de la Hague - South 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.