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.
34,095-acre East Cotentin Coast. South 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 south west 4 angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 75 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. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
On the chart, East Cotentin Coast - South West 4 draws 34,115 acres inside 32 miles of shoreline. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.2) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 9% of this chart. End to end it runs roughly 9.8 mi, about 6.1 mi across. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: East Cotentin Coast - Middle West 4, 9 mi north of here.
East Cotentin Coast — South West 4, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 23 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: SHOM-grid current seam, a current seam in the 30 ft range, prime in summer. 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 (6 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (30 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (30 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (38 ft) | 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 14 to 75 ft, and by winter most fish are in 19 to 75 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deepest basin: a deep basin around 74 ft that scores prime in summer. 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 | SHOM-grid current seam (30 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 14 to 75 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (74 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (30 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 19 to 75 ft | midday | Deepest basin (74 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 23 to 75 ft for winter. The spot to know is SHOM-grid flat, a feeding flat in about 8 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 (8 ft) | Beaded flowing trace |
| Summer | 6 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid flat (8 ft) | Light spooned bottom rig, Beaded trace |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (38 ft) | Beaded bottom trace |
| Winter | 23 to 75 ft | midday | Deepest basin (74 ft) |
Spring common sole on East Cotentin Coast - South 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. Put SHOM-grid flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 8 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 (8 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (8 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (38 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | Deepest basin (74 ft) |
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 8 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 (8 ft) | Small bucktail dragged on bottom |
| Summer | 6 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid flat (8 ft) | Bottom jig with spinner blade |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | Sharp break (25 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | Sharp break (25 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. The spot to know is SHOM-grid channel edge, a channel edge in about 38 ft of water that rates prime for whiting in spring. 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 | SHOM-grid channel edge (38 ft) | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 20 to 70 ft | dawn | SHOM-grid channel edge (38 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 60 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid channel edge (38 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 70 ft | dusk | Deepest basin (74 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
East Cotentin Coast - South 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 (6 to 75 ft in summer), atlantic cod (19 to 75 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
9 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deepest basin, around 74 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 East Cotentin Coast - South 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 - South West 4 is about 75 ft (23 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 - South 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 current seam is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for european seabass in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 - South 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 - Middle West 4 9 mi · East Cotentin Coast - South West 3 9 mi · Baie de Seine - South West 10 mi · Baie de Seine - Middle West 13 mi · East Cotentin Coast - Middle West 3 13 mi · East Cotentin Coast - South West 2 18 mi · East Cotentin Coast - North West 4 21 mi · Baie de Seine - South Central 21 mi · East Cotentin Coast - Middle West 2 21 mi · Baie de Seine - North West 22 mi · Baie de Seine - Middle Central 23 mi · East Cotentin Coast - North West 3 23 mi
See how East Cotentin Coast - South 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.