Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeSalt water depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
20,515-acre Cork Harbour. 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 west trip-scale survey reach of Cork Harbour, retaining only official survey-backed seabed cells that pass the Ireland release gates. The water tops out around 147 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 the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Traced from the shoreline, Cork Harbour - West runs 20,508 acres with 75.8 miles of edge — one island included. With a shoreline index of 3.8, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Roughly 13% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 16.4 mi end to end and 9.7 mi across at its widest. The nearest mapped water is Cork Harbour - Middle, 9 mi to the east.
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 | — |
| Brill (Brill) | official species listing | — |
| Thick-lipped grey mullet (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| Garfish (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| Cod (Atlantic Cod) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Spring puts european seabass in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 2 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 55 ft. INFOMAR measured shoal is the standout, a gravel shoal at roughly 32 ft, rated good for fall european seabass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. 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 | INFOMAR measured shoal (32 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | open water | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
Spring atlantic mackerel on Cork Harbour - West hold shallow, usually 5 to 45 ft. They move out to 15 to 80 ft in summer and finish the year down in 30 to 120 ft. Put INFOMAR measured current seam first on the milk run — a current seam near 66 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run 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 | INFOMAR measured shoal (32 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (68 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | INFOMAR measured current seam (66 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | Sharp break (68 ft) | Small deep jig |
Spring puts atlantic herring in skinny water — 5 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 50 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 60 ft. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A herring feather rig or a small silver jig covers the summer program.
| 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 |
In spring, whiting run shallow here, mostly 15 to 55 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 20 to 70 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 70 ft. INFOMAR measured current seam is the standout, a current seam at roughly 66 ft, rated good for summer whiting. Time it for early morning. 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 | INFOMAR measured current seam (66 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 60 ft | dusk | INFOMAR measured current seam (66 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 70 ft | dusk | INFOMAR measured channel edge (81 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
Spring european flounder on Cork Harbour - West hold shallow, usually 5 to 25 ft. They move out to 6 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 50 ft. Put Feeding flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 39 ft that grades good for fall. The feeding windows run 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 (39 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (39 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | Feeding flat (39 ft) | Small bottom jig |
In spring, european plaice run shallow here, mostly 8 to 35 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 40 ft, and winter fish settle into 25 to 80 ft. Feeding flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 39 ft, rated prime for summer european plaice. Time it for early morning and the evening. 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 | INFOMAR measured shoal (32 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (39 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (39 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | INFOMAR measured channel edge (81 ft) |
Cork Harbour - West also holds common sole (3 to 30 ft in summer), thornback ray (10 to 65 ft in summer), brill (6 to 50 ft in summer), thick-lipped grey mullet (1 to 18 ft in summer), garfish (2 to 20 ft in summer), atlantic cod (37 to 147 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Cork Harbour - West carries 7 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest basin, about 146 ft down.
Access data: Marine Institute — Fishing Ports. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Cork Harbour - 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 →
Cork Harbour - West is about 147 ft (45 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, brill, thick-lipped grey mullet, garfish, atlantic cod roster for Cork Harbour - 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.
Feeding flat is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 39 ft of water that rates prime for european plaice in summer. 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 Cork Harbour - 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.
Cork Harbour - Middle 9 mi · Kinsale Harbour - Inner 11 mi · Cork Harbour - East 15 mi · Kinsale Harbour - Outer 16 mi · Youghal Bay - Outer 17 mi · Clonakilty and Courtmacsherry Bays - Courtmacsherry 22 mi · Youghal Bay - Harbour 26 mi · Dungarvan Bay - West 31 mi · Clonakilty and Courtmacsherry Bays - Clonakilty 32 mi · Roaringwater Bay - East 41 mi · Dungarvan Bay - Inner 42 mi · Roaringwater Bay - Middle 50 mi
See how Cork Harbour - West stacks up: best atlantic herring lakes in Ireland · best european flounder lakes in Ireland · best garfish lakes in Ireland · best european seabass 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.