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74,926-acre East Cotentin Coast. North West 4 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 eastern Cotentin coast from Utah Beach to Barfleur, including roadstead, harbor and tide-race structure. This page covers the north west 4 angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 171 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Drawn out, this is 74,946 acres of water rimmed by 43.4 miles of bank. At index 1.1 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. 0% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 13 mi long by 10.8 mi wide at the broadest reach. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: East Cotentin Coast - North West 3, 10 mi west of here.
East Cotentin Coast — North West 4, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 52 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. 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 | 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 | open water | 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 SHOM-grid channel edge: a channel edge around 96 ft that scores good in winter. 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 | open water | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (96 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (96 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. 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 | open water | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | open water | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 25 to 80 ft | midday | open water |
Spring common sole on East Cotentin Coast - North West 4 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. 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 | open water | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | open water | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | open water | 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. 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 | open water | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | open water | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | open water | 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 |
East Cotentin Coast - North West 4 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 (43 to 171 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 7 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deepest basin, sits near 168 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 East Cotentin Coast - North West 4 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 →
East Cotentin Coast - North West 4 is about 171 ft (52 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 East Cotentin Coast - North West 4. 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 channel edge is the top-rated area: a channel edge in about 96 ft of water that rates good for atlantic mackerel in winter. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 East Cotentin Coast - North West 4 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.
East Cotentin Coast - North West 3 10 mi · Baie de Seine - North West 10 mi · East Cotentin Coast - Middle West 4 12 mi · East Cotentin Coast - Middle West 3 16 mi · Baie de Seine - Middle West 17 mi · East Cotentin Coast - North West 2 19 mi · East Cotentin Coast - South West 4 21 mi · Baie de Seine - North Central 21 mi · East Cotentin Coast - South West 3 22 mi · East Cotentin Coast - Middle West 2 23 mi · Baie de Seine - South West 24 mi · Baie de Seine - Middle Central 25 mi
See how East Cotentin Coast - North West 4 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.