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.
73,448-acre West Cotentin Coast. South 2 Central 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 west Cotentin shore from Carteret to Granville, with islands, rock, sand banks and macrotidal channels. This page covers the south 2 central angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 70 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
On the chart, West Cotentin Coast - South 2 Central draws 73,455 acres inside 44 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.2 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. Roughly 5% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Call it 13.6 mi long by 8.7 mi wide at the broadest reach. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: West Cotentin Coast - South 2 East, 6 mi east of here.
West Cotentin Coast — South 2 Central, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 21 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.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: european seabass in 3 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 30 ft before dropping to 10 to 55 ft for winter. The spot to know is SHOM-grid current seam, a current seam in about 28 ft of water that rates prime for european seabass in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. 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 | SHOM-grid current seam (28 ft) | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (28 ft) | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (28 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | SHOM-grid channel edge (35 ft) | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
When the water first warms, atlantic mackerel slide up into 5 to 45 ft. Summer is a 13 to 70 ft game here, winter an 18 to 70 ft one. Start at Deepest basin. It's a deep basin holding about 70 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run 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 (28 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 13 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (70 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (28 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 18 to 70 ft | midday | Deepest basin (70 ft) | Small deep jig |
Spring atlantic pollock on West Cotentin Coast - South 2 Central hold shallow, usually 6 to 70 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 6 to 70 ft in summer, 11 to 70 ft once it turns cold. Put SHOM-grid point first on the milk run — a point near 21 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a surface plug or a baitfish swimbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid point (21 ft) | Sandeel-pattern lure, Soft-plastic shad |
| Summer | 6 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid point (21 ft) | Surface plug, Baitfish swimbait |
| Fall | 7 to 70 ft | dawn | SHOM-grid point (21 ft) | Metal jig, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 11 to 70 ft | midday | Sharp break (41 ft) | Slow metal jig, Weighted soft plastic |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: saithe (coalfish) in 7 to 70 ft. The depth story barely changes: 7 to 70 ft through summer, 10 to 70 ft in winter. The spot to know is SHOM-grid current seam, a current seam in about 28 ft of water that rates prime for saithe (coalfish) in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a speed jig or a heavy paddletail gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 7 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (28 ft) | Slim metal jig, Paddletail |
| Summer | 7 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (41 ft) | Speed jig, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 6 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | SHOM-grid current seam (28 ft) | Metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 10 to 70 ft | midday | Deepest basin (70 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Spring atlantic cod on West Cotentin Coast - South 2 Central hold shallow, usually 14 to 70 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 18 to 70 ft in summer, 16 to 70 ft once it turns cold. Put Deepest basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 70 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 14 to 70 ft | dawn | Sharp break (41 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 18 to 70 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (70 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 13 to 70 ft | dawn | Sharp break (41 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 16 to 70 ft | midday | Deepest basin (70 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: ling in 12 to 70 ft. The depth story barely changes: 12 to 70 ft through summer, 13 to 70 ft in winter. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 41 ft of water that rates prime for ling in spring. Plan around midday in the warm months. Summer baits: a heavy vertical jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 12 to 70 ft | midday | Sharp break (41 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Summer | 12 to 70 ft | midday | Sharp break (41 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
| Fall | 12 to 70 ft | midday | Sharp break (41 ft) | Long metal jig |
| Winter | 13 to 70 ft | midday | Deepest basin (70 ft) | Heavy deep jig |
West Cotentin Coast - South 2 Central 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.
8 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deepest basin, around 70 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 West Cotentin Coast - South 2 Central 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 →
West Cotentin Coast - South 2 Central is about 70 ft (21 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 West Cotentin Coast - South 2 Central. 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 28 ft of water that rates prime for european seabass in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 West Cotentin Coast - South 2 Central 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.
West Cotentin Coast - South 2 East 6 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 2 West 9 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 3 East 10 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 3 Central 13 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 1 Central 14 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 1 East 15 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 3 West 16 mi · West Cotentin Coast - South 1 West 16 mi · Golfe Normand-Breton - North West 3 23 mi · Golfe Normand-Breton - North West 2 23 mi · Golfe Normand-Breton - North West 4 23 mi · Saint-Malo and Rance - North East 24 mi
See how West Cotentin Coast - South 2 Central 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.